Koharu Nakamura
by Idk 1o1
Summary: "There stood Aido Hanabusa, still as a statue, making direct eye-contact. She swore for a second she saw his eyes flicker red and gulped as she felt hers do the same. She turned around and shut them firmly, forcing them to return to their original wine purple... She recognized the look in his eyes: Blood-lust. This couldn't be good." (PLEASE review - feedback is very appreciated)
1. Chapter 1

Prologue - An Introduction to Koharu Nakamura

From the moment she attended the Cross Academy "orientation" with Kaien Cross, Koharu Nakamura knew something was off.

The mere fact that there was a Night Class and a Day Class was unusual in and of itself; this along with the establishment of a frickin _Disciplinary Committee_ to monitor the switch between the day and the night classes just screamed 'vampire' to her. She just needed some sort of confirmation to know for sure.

For Koharu, it was _vital_ to keep her identity hidden. If any vampire discovered her for who she was, she was done for. Koharu was a vampire herself, one whose bloodline was thought to have died out eons ago.

Her parents raised her normally, alongside humans, for the majority of her life simply because they were ahead of their time. Years ago the Nakamura clan realized, much before vampiric culture caught up, that for vampires to even sustain themselves healthily as a race, some sort of truce or coexistence with humans had to happen - and when they voiced these concerns, they were met with much resistance from society.

As a result of such a conflict of interests, the family broke off, carefully, meticulously staging its own extinction before delving off with the mission to blend in successfully with human society.

After centuries of experimentation, her family discovered a means of complete abstinence, wherein the vampire did not even have the _desire_ to hunt any longer. They lived happily until now.

The Nakamura clan's blood, through time, naturally became slightly diluted, and the more impure the blood, the harder it became to maintain abstinence.

For this reason, Koharu, the sole heiress to the clan, had a *ahem* slight difficulty in resisting the allure of human blood. As a result, her family, who still abided by the strict, almost Puritanical law characteristic of noble vampiric families, disowned her after much conflict.

She was left with a small sum of money, which she used to fund her life (along with some accrued profits from a part-time job) until she luckily met Kaien Cross. Upon hearing her plight (or a version of it - Koharu chose to leave out the fact that she was a vampire), Cross decided to 'adopt' her, to fund the education of the poor child with an otherwise bleak future. Koharu was truly grateful.

However, when she was told that there was an actual Night Class at the school and that there was a committee to monitor them as well as enforce general rules, she started having her doubts - her suspicions were aroused.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1 - Her New Life

As hard as Yuki tried to hide it, Koharu heard the whispers throughout the day.

"Yuki, do you know if the new girl is single?"

"Do you mind introducing her to me?"

"I think I have a crush on your friend.."

It was too amusing - Koharu had to fight hard not to smirk. Of course, this reaction to her presence was hardly unusual. She was a vampire after all. Koharu resorted to smiling and making small conversation with as many people as possible.

It was her first day of classes, so she wanted to chill a little; now was the time to expand her social circle as well. Koharu was not the quiet and shy type, and the more friends she had, the easier it would be to prey inconspicuously.

Unfortunately, Koharu shared no classes with Yuki, her only friend so far. It sucked that she couldn't even spend time in class with Yuki, who was also her dorm mate. Kaien, after testing her thoroughly, had placed her in the more advanced classes, where she knew nobody. Koharu knew she would have to work extra hard to gain acceptance there.

"Hello everyone! My name is Koharu Nakamura, and I am very excited to be a part of you class this year. I hope we will have a great time together and can't wait to get to know you all!" She shot a coy smile, letting out a small chuckle as she curtseyed and went back to her seat.

The maths professor himself smiled in response. "Thank you Miss Nakamura. I am sure you will be a lovely addition to our class. Moving on, our lesson today will be on the integration formulas for logarithmic and inverse trigonometric functions. Please open your textbooks to page 15.."

Koharu smiled to herself - this would be easy. Math was easy, and she had already learnt this stuff. As the teacher droned on and on, she took the time to take a good look at everyone in the classroom. They all looked very studious and seemed to enjoy learning.

One of the girls closer to the front turned her head back and made eye contact with Koharu. The girl blushed in slight embarrassment at being caught. _Awww.. you're so cute!_ Koharu shot a smile and waved, and the girl relaxed immediately, giving Koharu a smile of her own before quickly turning around to diligently resume taking notes.

After math class came lunch. The very same girl from before came back to stop at Koharu's desk, along with a few more girls.

"So you're the new girl, eh. Koharu Nakamura." One of the girls said. She had dark brown hair, much like Yuki-chan's, only slightly wavy, that fell down to her shoulders and sharp brown eyes.

Koharu arched a midnight black brow. "Yup!" she smiled at her, suppressing her nervousness. _Kill them with kindness. Kill them with kindness._ "And you are?"

"Mei Kurosaki. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Mei-chan!" Koharu grinned and extended a hand, which she promptly shook.

The girl who looked at Koharu spoke up.

"I'm Hikari Osawa" she smiled bashfully and blushed. Koharu nodded. She had short, pretty blonde hair.

"And this is Tsukiko Sakura, and this is Chiyo Himemiya" They both waved, and Koharu greeted them appropriately. It was nice to make some friends so quickly.

"Koharu-chan, are you free after classes today? We were wondering if we could show you the Night Class students as they come to class," Hikari said.

"Yeah. We usually don't go to see them and stuff, but since you're new, we just thought that we should show you how things work around here," Tsukiko, a girl with straight, light brown hair down to her waist, added.

Mei chimed in - "It's usually an excessively dramatized affair. If anything, it'll make you glad that you now have us for friends instead of those rabid fangirls"

Koharu caught on quickly - that probably meant that the Night Class was really attractive or something. _Further proof for them possibly being vampires._ "Yeah sure! I'm free after class"

"YAY!" Chiyo hugged her arm tightly, prompting a slight chuckle from Koharu. "You're gonna have a blast!"

She smiled at Chiyo. "I'm sure I will."

The girls finished their lunch together, discussing their many shared interests, laughing at each other's jokes, and enjoying their time. Even though they knew each other only for a short time, they really bonded well. The rest of the day passed without a hitch. Koharu felt much more confident and comfortable with her new friends - it was obvious to anyone that she loved the attention and the popularity.

Before she knew it, it was dusk, and her friends were dragging her off to see the Night Class.

"So basically they are all SUPER attractive and have their own fan clubs and stuff like that" Hikari explained.

"Of course we aren't fangirls or anything, but we all have our preferences. We don't get too close to them through - they're a bit weird" Tsukiko said.

The girls stopped at a sound distance away from the Moon Dorm gates, away from the clusters of fangirls and fanboys piling around the area, but close enough to make out everyone's faces. Koharu could see Yuki Cross, trying in vain to console the crowds and felt compelled to go and help her. As she made to move, Mei held her arm firmly, pulling her back.

"Don't worry about Yuki - Zero usually comes and helps her out"

"Oh… Ok then, I guess" Koharu shrugged, but wasn't convinced because she saw him nowhere around.

"He always comes a bit late, but he never leaves Yuki hanging," Tsukiko added.

Just then, the Moon Dorms opened, and the Night Class students stepped out, causing yet another wave of squealing and cacophony amongst the Day Class crowd. Koharu put her hands to her ears, twitching in annoyance.

"Are they always like this?"

"Yup!" said Chiyo.

"Every day?"

"Yup!"

Koharu groaned.

Mei spoke up, calm and cool as a cucumber, "So that's Akatsuki Kain, they call him 'Wild Senpai' -god knows why." Kain-Senpai seemed pretty chill, by the looks of it. Nothing to warrant the term "wild," but Koharu didn't want to pass judgement so quickly. She nodded.

"And that's Ruka Souen." Chiyo said. Koharu nodded. "She looks really pretty," she said.

"They all are - that's why it's so unfair."

"That's Seiren" Tsukiko added, "And that's Senri Shiki and Rima Toya. We think they're dating or something, but we can't be sure."

Koharu commented, "They seem really compatible and stuff, but they both look so _arrogant._ " At this, she swore she saw the Shiki guy shift his eyes towards her or something. _Shady._ Koharu narrowed her eyes ever so slightly in suspicion.

"Moving on" Mei said briskly, "that's the Moon Dorm President, Kaname Kuran. He really likes Yuki." Koharu could make out some sort of confrontation going on between Zero, who looked angry, and Kaname Kuran. Before she could begin to pay attention though, Hikari called her attention to the last to students walking to class.

"And that's Takuma Ichijou" Koharu could make him out - blond hair, green eyes, and speaking gently to the fangirls.

"And that's Hanabusa Aido- they call him Idol-senpai."

At this Koharu chuckled. "Punny," she said. The other girls smiled.

"He's the most cheerful one out of all of them it seems," Hikari mused. Koharu had to agree, he seemed overly excited in greeting his fans. It was kind of amusing to watch, and it made her smile softly.

"He also seems to be the most popular" Koharu deliberated lightly. Just as she said that, he formed his hand into a sort of gun, pointed at one of the fangirls, and went "Bang!" The girl squealed and fainted promptly, causing Koharu to let out a sharp bark of laughter as she looked at her new friends, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"That actually works? What on Earth is wrong with those girls?!" Her friends shrugged.

"Don't say I didn't warn you" said Mei, "I'll repeat, the whole thing is excessively dramatic. Makes you question the IQ of this whole school, really."

"Can't say I don't agree," said Koharu lightly, "However, I am curious..."

She extended her arms out, clasping her hands together to form a gun. She quickly turned around at a random group of Day Class boys, one of whom had made eye contact with her and had been trying to inconspicuously look at her from the corner of his eye. Honestly, she didn't think anybody else had noticed it except her, but she wasn't one to complain about attention.

She winked at him and, before he could react, went "Bang."

His reaction was no different from that of the other fangirls. After the poor boy fainted and passed out, the crowd quieted down slightly, and the attention was turned to them.

Koharu, who had dissolved into fits of laughter and was wiping tears from her eyes, quieted down after realizing the awkwardness of the situation. _Oh great. This is the epitome of embarrassment. Curse that inappropriate timing and my immature tendencies._ She chuckled awkwardly and cleared her throat.

"You guys can...um.. resume your fangirling... sorry..for the disturbance" Surprisingly, nobody dwelled on it much, and in a few seconds, the noise and clamour resumed once more.

Mei grabbed her arm once more and began dragging her away, muttering something or the other regarding the humiliation of what just happened. The rest of the girls followed, but as Koharu looked back at the ruckus once more, she stilled for a millisecond in shock.

There stood Aido Hanabusa, still as a statue, making direct eye-contact with her. She swore for a second she saw his eyes flicker red and gulped as she felt hers do the same.

She turned around quickly, and shut them firmly, forcing them to return to their original wine purple. She recognized the look in his eyes: Blood-lust. This couldn't be good.

Vampires only reacted that way to their beloved. Their soul-mate. It couldn't be true. Not for her. Not at this time. Not in this situation. She could only hope that the Aido kid hadn't seen her eyes too. She would be discovered. It would mean only trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2 - Blood-Lust it is..

A few weeks passed, and Aido Hanabusa could not get his mind off the girl he saw that one morning. Even his flirting had reached a stop. It bothered him. Aido had asked around a bit and found out that her name was Koharu Nakamura. She was a new student at Cross Academy and apparently became really popular quickly.

They said she was a genius, a straight-A student who didn't even need to put in the effort. She was friends with Chiyo Himemiya, Mei Kurosaki, Hikari Osawa, and Tsukiko Sakura. She was Yuki Cross's dorm mate. Nakamura was in the most advanced classes. She was beautiful, funny, and kind - apparently she had her own fan-club group.

It was too good to be true - she seemed too perfect to even be a real human. When he asked Kaname-sama about her, he had frowned and asked Aido not to get involved in Day Class gossip. The Night Class students barely noticed her, but Aido had the feeling that there was something more to her. Something important.

And then there was his reaction to her. The moment Aido laid eyes on her, he lost control. That had never happened before - it was scary. He hadn't told anyone, not even Kain about it.

Koharu Nakamura. Long, straight, pitch-black hair. Deep purple eyes that conveyed a sort of fierce determination, a strength he knew was hard to come by in a person. Again, his throat went dry, and he felt his fangs elongating. He wanted to drink - he needed to drink.

He forced his eyes shut and fought to regain control once again. This wasn't normal. Just _thinking_ about her should not have prompted such a reaction in him. He didn't know what was wrong. This had never happened before - it wasn't _supposed_ to happen.

It hit him like a truck. Blood-Lust. He was experiencing blood-lust. He showed all of the symptoms - a total lack of control, the insatiable urge to feed, a ceaseless obsession over the object of his affections. This wasn't good. Koharu Nakamura was a Day Class Student, and it would never be socially acceptable for them to be together even if she was turned into a vampire. Aido groaned. It was just his damn rotten luck that he was soul-mates with a human.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3 - Testing Your Hypothesis

After some time had passed, Koharu grew into her element. To satisfy her urges, she usually drank from Yuki's neck at night, during the few hours where Yuki was sleeping. She took special care to insert only one fang into Yuki's body - if anyone were to notice it, it would only seem like a needle prick instead of a vampire bite. Koharu could not risk anyone knowing of her yet. She became more closer to Yuki as well. They walked to class together with Zero, who barely even spoke to her (not that she cared much for him anyways).

She stayed with Chiyo, Tsukiko, Mei, and Hikari for the rest of the day and walked back home with them (she wasn't comfortable staying with Yuki to watch the Night Class begin their classes). Sometimes they met after school in the library to study together or to hang out. She satisfied her blood-lust with Yuki's sweet, sweet blood, and it was just enough to abate her otherwise uncontrollable desire for Aido's blood.

At this point, Koharu was 99.5% certain of a few things.

The Night Class was a class of vampires. They were purebloods and aristocrats - Koharu recognized the Kuran family name as well as the Ichijou family name. It is likely that they were here to coexist with humans. If this was the case, then not only should there be vampires at Cross Academy, but also people to keep them under control. Maybe that was the true purpose of the Disciplinary Committee?

If this was true, then if the vampires caught wind of the existence of a Nakamura clan descendant, they would not be completely antagonistic towards her (maybe) simply because of the fact that her family had succeeded in blending in well with human society. Koharu needed a way to test the waters with that idea.

One particular vampire of the Night Class, Hanabusa Aido, was her future soul-mate and was experiencing blood-lust towards her. It was vice-versa, but until she could find out all that she needed to know, Koharu would have to suppress her urges as well. She would have to maneuver around him to avoid conflict that could be possibly hazardous to her mission.

It was clear to her that she had to tread carefully - if any member of the Night Class discovered her existence, she was done for. Koharu resorted to conducting slight experiments on the Night Class to learn more about them and verify her suspicions.

Yuki was out maintaining order with the fangirls as the Moon Dorm gates opened. Koharu left early, so that she didn't have to see Aido Hanabusa again, and also for some alone time to start scheming. She took out a notebook and started writing on a fresh page.

Questions to Answer about the Night Class:

1 - Is the Night Class filled with vampires?

2 - If so, what level of vamps are they?

3 - Are the members of the Disciplinary Committee vampires or humans?

4 - Are the vampires of the night class trying to coexist peacefully with humans? Is there an ulterior motive?

5 - If I was to be reintroduced to society, would the Nakamura family name incite any antagonism from society?

She shut her book. Answering the first question would be easy. She just had to wait for Yuki to come home and rest. For the time being, Koharu took out a syringe to fill with bait and hid it under her pillow. She finished the rest of her homework and got some rest.

Nightfall came before she knew it, and Koharu lightly stirred awake as Yuki entered the dorm after patrols. She waited for Yuki to lie down in bed and for her breath to even out before slowly out of bed and tiptoe-ing towards Yuki. She leaned down and inserted one fang into the girl's neck, groaning in relief as the dull ache in her gums died away slowly. It would do for now. Koharu took out the syringe and inserted the needle into the tiny bite mark on Yuki's neck, drawing blood till it filled the cavity of the syringe. Slowly, she extracted the needle and, after making sure Yuki was all tucked in and covered up, snuck out the window.

She made her way to the wooded area and climbed a tree. She stopped once she was high enough for the foliage to cover her figure and to have a good view of the area around her- Koharu did not want to be seen. She slowly extended the syringe and squeezed out all of the blood, watching as it hit the floor. She sat quietly and waited. Aido Hanabusa and Kain Akatsuki came into view almost immediately.

Aido inhaled deeply, "I smell her blood, but she's not here."

Kain looked confused for a second, but reverted back to his usual expression of boredom, "Yeah I don't know exactly what happened here. But there's nothing to see. Can we go back now, Hanabusa?"

Before Aido could respond, something happened that shocked Koharu. Zero leapt into the frame from out of nowhere, startling her. He pointed a gun at Aido's back.

"Drinking blood from school grounds is strictly forbidden. Or has the smell of blood made you lose all control?" He sneered in derision.

Koharu raised her eyebrows in realization. Yuki was still in her dorm, sound asleep, but Zero had awoken instantly. She suspected it was because of the smell of Yuki's spilt blood. Maybe Zero was a vampire and Yuki was a human. It would make perfect sense.

Again, before Aido could even put a word in, Kaname Kuran stepped in from, again, god knows where.

"Zero, that Bloody Rose is rather threatening. Would you mind putting it away?"

"Where is Yuki?" Aido asked. They all frowned, looking around. She was nowhere to be seen.

Zero was the first to speak up, "She should be sleeping - our patrols just ended.."

It was then that they all realized that something strange was happening.

"I will discuss this matter later, with the Headmaster, Zero, and Yuki. We must be sure that she is completely safe. These circumstances are rather strange and worrying," said Kaname, "Zero, I will escort this two idiots for punishment to the Headmaster myself. Is that alright?"

"Just… get them out of here.." Zero muttered, frowning to himself. They all left. Zero stayed for some time, looking around in suspicion.

Thankfully, he failed to look above him, at the shocked and slightly frightened girl on the tree. Soon after, he sighed in defeat and made his way back to the Sun Dorms.

Koharu let out a long breath that she had been holding in for quite some time. That was really close. Too close for her to feel comfortable. Now even Kaname Kuran was going to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. She was royally screwed. Sighing, she quietly made her way back to the Sun Dorms, taking special care not to leave any trace of her behind.

After a mini follow-up investigation they had done, Kaname, Kain, and Aido discovered that Yuki was in her dorm the whole time this had transpired, deep in sleep. There was no indication of movement throughout the night. The same, however, could not be said of her room-mate. Koharu Nakamura's sheets were wrinkled (signs of movement, or at the least restlessness) and her breathing had not completely evened out.

Kaname made no mention of this. In fact, Aido was almost a 100% sure that Kaname-sama didn't even _consider_ Nakamura to be a suspect. He just checked up on Yuki, to make sure she was alright. Aido however, could not help but notice the other girl. Her long hair was scattered across the pillow haphazardly, and a slight blush donned her cheeks as she remained curled in a half fetal position, resting peacefully. His heart twinged at the sight - her face was so innocent and endearing that he felt almost _devoted_ to her very being.

Aido frowned at his thoughts immediately and forced himself back into composure. He attempted to push all thoughts of her as far away as he could from the center of his focus. He needed some blood tablets.

Back at the Night Class, with some blood tablets and water in hand and a suspension for three days, Hanabusa Aido furrowed his brows, deep in thought. He had a theory of his own about what just happened. One that he had not voiced to anyone. He suspected that somehow Koharu Nakamura was involved.

It was clear that someone had taken blood from her and staged this incident for some reason or the other. There were only two possible people close enough to Yuki who could have done this: Zero Kiryu and Koharu Nakamura. Zero could not have done it if he came into the scene _after_ Aido and Kain discovered the blood. He seemed just as shocked as they were, in fact.

Koharu, on the other hand, was in the prime position to extract blood from Yuki. She was around her when Yuki was most vulnerable - at sleep. Koharu and Yuki were friends, but weren't extremely close; there was no emotional bond between them that could stop Koharu from exploiting Yuki in such a way. In addition, Nakamura was one of the few people who actually avoided the Night Class. She didn't seem to have any *ahem* preferences towards any one of them. She wasn't emotionally connected to them and thus had no need to trust them. Also, she was clearly smart enough to pull off such a calculative move. The puzzle just seemed to fit. He found himself curious, unable to resist her allure anymore. He wanted, needed to know more about this girl. He resolved to conducting some research of his own.

Hanabusa Aido smiled to himself, almost sure that his hypothesis was correct. Koharu Nakamura was toying with them - toying with _him_. He wouldn't let her get away with it. Whether she was just trying to dig out information or whether there was some other ulterior motive, one thing was apparent.

It was a game of cat and mouse. And it wasn't clear which was which.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4 - Fallback System

Koharu knew that something was off the very next day, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. In school, it was clear both Zero and Yuki were behaving more guardedly, more suspicious of everything. Koharu had to be extra careful starting now.

In class, Koharu behaved like her usual self, chatting with friends, joking around, and paying attention (as usual) in class. But deep inside, she was disturbed by last night's occurrences.

Her plan should have worked perfectly. But she made the mistake of making assumptions - taking Yuki's blood was a bad idea because Yuki was part of the Disciplinary Committee. Of course, as a member of the Disciplinary Committee, Yuki probably interacted a lot with the Vampire Class. It was wrong of Koharu to assume that the vampires would be unable to recognize the scent of her blood - in fact, Yuki was probably the one person whose blood the would recognize. Koharu sighed. One sloppy move, and now she ran the risk of expulsion. She vowed to think twice next time.

Now that Yuki, Zero, and the vampires knew that something was up, Koharu couldn't safely drink from Yuki at night anymore. She needed another source, and that was nearly impossible in the environment she was in. The only other option she had was to abstain, and if she did that, she ran the risk of succumbing to the blood-lust. There had to be another option… Honestly, she had absolutely no idea how Aido Hanabusa was even surviving without prey at the moment.

Aido Hanabusa. She had a feeling he would know she was the culprit, depending on how smart he was. Actually, Koharu had no clue about his actual intelligence - the first time she saw him flirting around with Day Class humans, she had assumed that he was rather unintelligent and superficial. But the instant she saw him eye to eye - the instant her violet depths met his turquoise irises, she saw a brain racing at a pace as fast as hers, dare she say even faster. That boy was not to be underestimated.

And this worried Koharu even more - he was naturally going to pay extra attention to her, and she was expecting it. But since they had made eye contact, he had not even approached her once. That on its own was unexpected, but that combined with the fact that he now probably suspected her of extracting blood from Yuki was even more terrifying.

It's true, she was actually scared of him. And she didn't doubt, not even once, that he suspected her of taking Yuki's blood and upstaging him and Kain. Such an incident had never occurred before, and she was the only person close enough to Yuki who would actually do it. Anybody with half a brain would suspect her - Koharu had to cover her tracks especially well now.

She sighed, resting her head on the table and looking forlornly outside the window.

"Ko-chan," she looked over to Chiyo, who was whispering to her worriedly, "Are you alright?"

She smiled slightly, "Yeah I'll be fine Chiyo." Suddenly, she got an idea. She felt slightly guilty for it, but Koharu was in a desperate position, and she needed all the help she could get.

"Actually, Chiyo-chan, can you and the rest of our friends meet me after class? It's a serious matter, and I don't really want to tell it to you in public…"

Chiyo smiled, "Of course, Ko-chan! You can count on me!"

Koharu smiled. It felt great to have such loyal friends. She didn't want to let them down ever.

After class, they all decided to meet in the privacy of Chiyo and Tsukiko's dorm room. They all sat down in a little circle of sorts. Koharu was making a very risky move, and she knew it, but she needed a source of blood for her to even stand a chance at this school.

Yuki would notice if Koharu drank her blood, and if Koharu chose abstinence, she would inevitably end up relying on Aido Hanabusa for blood. Either way, they would realize she was a vampire, and she would be caught.

Hikari looked at her kindly, "Koharu-chan, you wanted to talk with us?"

Only then did Koharu realize how awkward the situation really was once more - her friends were all extremely confused and had no idea what to expect.

She cleared her throat uncomfortable, "Um...yeah.. Well it's actually more of a confession, it I do say so myself…." There was an even more awkward silence "NO! Not in the way you're thinking" Koharu blurted again. Her cheeks went red with embarrassment, and they all chuckled.

Mei smiled, "Well spit it out then, ya goofball"

Koharu nodded, grinning bashfully at her friends. She was silently grateful that the air was considerably less awkward and stiff than before. She got the feeling that her friends would be more receptive to what she had to say now.

"Ok. But you guys have to promise to believe me. I swear I'm being 100% honest. I can even give you proof if you want"

Tsukiko nodded eagerly. "Go on - What is it?"

Koharu nodded rushedly too, before she lost her friend's interest or something "Well, I'm a vampire."

Yet another pause. Hikari and Mei literally burst out laughing, and Chiyo gasped.

"What?" said Tsukiko, clearly confused.

"You heard me right. I am a vampire. I felt so bad keeping this a secret from you all too. You guys have been so kind to me since I came here, and the whole time I just felt guilty about lying to you and putting up this facade. " Even though she really didn't feel this way, Koharu found it easiest of come across as guilty - it would appeal most to their sense of friendship and loyalty, and they would be more receptive to the idea of her sucking their blood.

Mei spoke up, "You said you have proof"

Koharu nodded, "Some vampires, who have less human blood and more vampire blood, are born with a special power. Mine is the power to manipulate ice."

They stared at her, waiting for her to show them. She smiled gently.

"But before I show you all, I just want you to know that I would never ever hurt you. Do you trust me?"

Chiyo nodded first, giving her an encouraging smile, Tsukiko followed, and Hikari nodded as well. After giving me an appraising look, Mei followed suit as well.

Koharu looked at the ground between them, and lo and behold, a thin, circular layer of ice formed on the floor. But she didn't end it there, she needed to gain their complete trust, or else they would blab to someone else and she would get in trouble. She kept going - on the thin sheet of ice she built little pristine ice sculptures, like dolls, of each one of her friends. It was an almost exact replica of them at that current moment; the little ice figures were all seated around in a little circle, and the middle of the circle, with some more ice, was embossed with a cursive "Best Friends Forever" in a lovely heart.

It was fancy and intricate, designed to chip away at their sense of reason and appeal so much to their emotion that they would not even feel bad about giving her their blood - they would want to do it. Koharu felt the faintest bit of guilt tugging at her heart, but she shoved it away violently. What had to be done, had to be done.

She smiled sheepishly at them; hopefully she didn't come across as too cheesy. Or worse, manipulative (she couldn't help it - it was in her nature).

It worked. All four cooed at it and piled on her, giving Koharu a big, warm, comforting hug.

"Aww thanks guys," she sniffled, tearing up ever so slightly "you don't know how much this really means to me." Koharu hugged them back.

And this was true - they were the only humans who ever learnt of her true identity, and it truly felt relieving for her to let them all know. She felt truly accepted, unburdened, really, and it was a wonderful, wonderful feeling. But that was irrelevant; Koharu gazed out of the window - it was dusk already, and she needed to get this done.

"Arhgmpht… I can't breathe!" They all chuckled and clambered off of her. She smiled at them once more to convey her gratefulness. God I hope I don't milk this too much…

"It's almost curfew, so I'm probably going to have to leave soon.. But I have something else I want to tell you before I go."

This time, they all smiled at her and nodded encouragingly.

She squeezed her eyes shut and scrunched up her nose, "Oh, I feel so embarrassed saying this..."

Surprisingly, Mei, the coldest one of them all, stood up for her. "Its O.K. Koharu! You can tell us anything."

Koharu un-scrunched her face and looked at them with a grave expression. Ok. Here goes…

"As a vampire, I also have a desire for human blood" They looked at her in silence.

Tsukiko was the first one to recover, "So does that mean you're going to drink from us?.."

Koharu was quick to respond "Well...no… I mean yes." There was a pause.

"I have the self control to not drink from you if you don't want me to. But without drinking blood, I would become very sick - kind of like starving. I need blood to survive, but in lesser quantities than humans would need food. Basically."

Another pause.

"And one of the reasons I came to you guys in the first place is because I've run out of a food source."

Yet another pause.

Hikari spoke up, "So you're going to drink our blood now or something?"

Koharu's cheeks flushed, "Well obviously not if you don't want me to. It's just that I've run out of sustenance for myself, and I really didn't want to end up preying on a random student or something" she chuckled awkwardly. Hopefully nobody would ask about my former sustenance...

"I decided to tell you all the truth instead… I need to consume human blood regardless, so I was wondering… maybe if…" she trailed off awkwardly, taking in their blank stares.

Mei filled in for her, "Are you asking us permission, Koharu? To drink our blood?"

She chuckled nervously, Well there's no point in denying it…

"Kind of, yeah… Don't worry though. I won't take much blood from any of you, I swear. You can tell me to stop anytime you want to, and I will. When I feed, it doesn't hurt or anything. The whole process feels very pleasurable to the human.." She rushed a bit. Surprisingly, none of them showed any trace of fear.

"Would we turn into vampires ourselves or something?" Hikari questioned.

"Um no… There will be no consequences for either party if I take just a little bit of blood from you."

"I'm in" said Mei. Koharu looked at her incredulously, and Mei returned with an offended look.

"Well I mean as long as I don't die or anything it should be fine, right? And besides," she flipped her hair, "I personally think that it's really cool that I have a vampire ice princess for a friend. If I have to donate my blood every once in awhile to keep her sane, then so be it," she concluded.

Koharu responded slightly nervously, "Ok then. Please tell me to stop if you feel uncomfortable or anything"

Mei smiled at her and brushed her hair from her neck, tilting her head away from Koharu so that she could feed.

"This is how it works right?"

"Y-Yeah"

"Ok then go ahead!"

"You want me to do it now?!"

"Did you want to do it in private or something?" asked Mei, slightly confused.

"N-no… Nothing like that… " Koharu inched towards Mei, her eyes turned blood red.

Chiyo, Tsukiko, and Hikari all looked on, fascinated and curious, if not a little apprehensive. Koharu gently pushed one of her fangs into Mei's neck. Mei's mouth opened, and she let out a slight gasp, shuddering in pleasure.

It was a bit awkward for the onlookers. It was clear to Chiyo, Tsukiko, and Hikari that Koharu didn't expect her to react this way - Yuki certainly hadn't done so before…

Koharu widened her eyes at what just happened and began to pull away. Mei reached towards her neck and pulled her in once more, letting her feed on her blood for another few seconds. Finally, Koharu pulled away. It was a clean feed; there was not a single drop of stray blood anywhere. That was good - the Night Class vampires would have definitely noticed it any blood had spilled.

Tsukiko got up and fumbled around for a band-aid, handing it to Mei. She gently refused.

"I don't need it - that was barely a prick"

"How did it feel?" asked Chiyo, wide-eyed and curious.

Mei grinned in response "Really good. You should try it too"

At this, the girls laughed in relief.

"Well, Koharu, at least we have nothing to be scared of anymore. Now I kind of want you to feed from me" Hikari chuckled gently.

Koharu smiled in response.

"I'll probably only feed if I have to… With your permission of course" She added hastily.

Tsukiko giggled. "After what we all just saw, Koharu, I think all of us want to try it out… I'm pretty sure you'll have our permission"

"Hey Ko-chan?" Chiyo asked

"Hmm?"

"Are vampires immortal?" Koharu smiled gently. Those questions were inevitable.

"Not really - we just live really long lives"

"Oh cool…"

Hikari spoke up "It's almost curfew guys. Mei, Koharu, and I have to leave now" She gave an adorable pout, prompting a giggle and a hug from Koharu.

"I know this may seem weird and all, but .. if you have any questions or something about vampires you don't have to be scared about asking me, alright? I'm just like a normal human being with some special abilities and a different diet!" She smiled, "Also, I would...um really appreciate it if.. umm… you didn't tell anybody else about the fact that I am a vampire" Koharu blushed deeply.

"Of course not!" Mei said. Tsukiko chimed in, "It's obviously a very personal kind of subject! Koharu, you should have more faith in us!"

Hikari nodded in agreement, "Yeah - even if someone ASKED us if you were a vampire, we would not disclose that"

"It's like our girl group secret!" Chiyo gushed, "it makes is a little bit closer. Just like sisters!"

Koharu smiled in thanks, as she left her friends for the night. Today was a good night. She was making solid progress. By getting support from her friends, Koharu was building a solid fallback system. From this, she could make constructive headway without jeopardizing too much. She smirked to herself. Koharu: 1 Night Class: 0.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5 - Their First Skirmish

Aido Hanabusa watched her as she slept. _Wow that sounds creepy_. But he couldn't help it. She was really pretty. It bothered him. He had never met such a pretty human before - was his own perception deluding him or was she actually this pretty? Did it matter? He didn't know.

He asked Shiki about her, and Shiki said that some human models also looked pretty like that. Almost vampiric, he said. Shiki asked Hanabusa why it mattered. Hanabusa said he didn't know.

He didn't know why he was here. Watching her. He felt an undeniable pull towards her. He couldn't resist. It was frustrating because he barely even knew her - they hadn't even formally met. Did she even know his name? (yes she did).

It was hard for him because they felt so connected that simply not being with her felt _wrong._ And he was forced to be apart from her all day. He wondered if she felt the same way about him. (yes she did - only she suppresses it so much).

He couldn't resist. He leapt into the dorm through the open window. Yuki was out on patrol. He snorted - it was ironic that he was breaking the rules right under her nose. He observed her.

Pale skin contrasted her dark hair so starkly, she looked like a black and white photograph. Her eyes were beautiful too. He wished she would open them for him right now. They were a deep shade of purple. They could gaze straight into your soul. He smiled. He sighed. She stirred.

Alarmed, he stepped back, almost bumping into her desk as he did so. Thankfully he didn't make much noise, and she drifted back into her deep slumber. Hanabusa observed her desk. Homework was littered all across it. _Math problems. I love math._ There were some pretty high-level problems she was working on. _Wow. Maybe she is a genius._ He could tell she was learning extra. The Day Class curriculum only went up to Multivariable Calculus, open only to advanced third years, and even then, the Multivariable Calculus class had only one or two students in it.

She was a second year transfer, doing problems on Linear Algebra. A step beyond. No - two steps beyond.

He was in love with her already.

Hanabusa snooped some more, until he came across, in the first drawer of the cabinet, a syringe and a book. He frowned to himself in confusion and picked up the syringe, examining it closely. He smelt droplets of Yuki's blood on them. His eyes turned red as he realized that his initial hypothesis was unequivocally correct.

Koharu Nakamura was the person who stole Yuki's blood. It was very likely that she injected the blood using the syringe, planted it, and quickly hid somewhere. He looked at her peaceful face and caught his breath, forcing down his blood-lust as hard as possible. It seemed just like the thing she would do. Koharu Nakamura was the one who had upstaged them all. He just had to figure out why. He pushed down his urge to feed, fighting to regain control.

After a few seconds of getting his heart rate back to normal, Hanabusa moved on, opening the book. And the answer was right there, staring at him straight in the face.

Questions to Answer about the Night Class:

1 - Is the Night Class filled with vampires?

2 - If so, what level of vamps are they?

3 - Are the members of the Disciplinary Committee vampires or humans?

4 - Are the vampires of the night class trying to coexist peacefully with humans? Is there an ulterior motive?

5 - If I was to be reintroduced to society, would the Nakamura family name incite any antagonism?

He waited a couple of seconds and let it sink in. The last question drew his attention quickly. He supposed she was a descendant of the Nakamura clan, a family of purebloods. They were supposed to have gone extinct years ago. He decided he would hold off on telling Kaname about this for now. Basing his future decision on what he would find out about _her_ would be the wisest course of action. She was a vampire, apparently. That surprised him. He wondered how she survived without blood tablets. _Was she preying on humans?_ And not only was she a vampire, but she was a _Nakamura_. He frowned, paling immediately.

If the girl was a pureblood, then he was screwed several times over. A romantic relationship between a pureblood and aristocratic vampire was unacceptable.

Judging by her last question, however, it seemed as though she was interested in being reintroduced to society as a Nakamura. Hanabusa found that interesting - 'if _I_ was to be reintroduced to society'. Where was the rest of her family? He would have to do more research.

The only way he could find out more about her personal life would be by entering into conversation with her - there was no physical evidence to tell him of her past (or at least it was very unlikely that there was). The prospect of knowing her in person didn't bother him much at all - in fact, he started looking forward to it. All he needed was an excuse.

And then he got one. Hanabusa simply pocketed the syringe, smirking to himself as he rearranged all of her books and papers back to the way they had originally been.

As silently as he came, Hanabusa exited, leaving absolutely no trace of his initial presence, save for a mild, barely discernible aroma of lavender and chocolate.

Koharu woke up with a vague sense that something was off. She couldn't tell exactly what was wrong, but something just _felt_ off. It was frustrating, because no matter how hard she thought, as far as she could tell, there was nothing she had done to warrant something ill in her near future. But she couldn't shake off the foreboding feeling.

She walked to class with Yuki and Zero quietly, lost in thought. As a whole, Koharu had covered her tracks well; she just had to lay low for a while before resuming research. That wouldn't be too hard to accomplish.

"Koharu-san, you seem so quiet today! Is something bothering you?" Yuki mentioned. Koharu quickly caught herself. Yuki was more perceptive than she thought initially. Nevertheless, she decided to use it to her own advantage. Maybe do some harmless digging around.

"Hey Yuki?"

"Yeah?"

"I noticed that you weren't in bed last night, and I was a little worried. Are you sure you're ok?" Koharu smiled to herself. _There. The tables are turned._

She watched with a mock concerned face as Yuki struggled to come up with an excuse. _HA. Loser._ Koharu had known Yuki was out on patrols every night ever since she expounded upon her theory about the Night Class. Nevertheless, it was amusing to watch her struggle to think of an excuse fast enough.

Zero pitched in, "As a part of the Disciplinary Committee, we have duties to do in the night-time."

Koharu raised an eyebrow, pretending to look interested, "Oh wow! You guys are so hard working. May I ask what you guys do?"

"The duties of the Disciplinary Committee are to maintain order in the school. We do what we should do to achieve this goal"

She left it at that, not wanting be excessively nosy or anything. There was no need to start unnecessary conflict. _Especially_ for someone in her situation.

"Koharu, do you want to come with me and Zero after school today to watch us do our Disciplinary Committee duties?"

She didn't have the heart to reject Yuki, despite of how much she wanted to. Being around Aido Hanabusa in particular was not safe for Koharu, and being seen with Yuki had the potential to make her seem more suspicious in the eyes of Kaname Kuran. However, both were better alternatives to disappointing Yuki and angering Zero.

If Koharu established herself as anything but a friend to either of them, she was going to be in for trouble regardless. She needed their trust.

The rest of the day passed as per usual - nothing out of the ordinary. By the end of the day, Koharu had dropped down her guard almost completely, only to get nervous again about what was going to happen at the end of the school day.

Before she knew it, it was dusk again, and all of the Day Class fangirls began their causing their regular ruckus and clamor before Yuki attempted, in vain, to stop them. The Moon Dorm gates opened, and the students slowly began filing out. Koharu attempted to stomp down her nervousness, but she simply couldn't. They were all so overwhelming, and she was so paranoid that she couldn't handle it.

Thankfully, most of them left her alone. Takuma Ichijo waved "Hi!" to her, and Shiki glared at her. Other than that however, nobody approached her personally. Apparently, it was a normal thing for Yuki to bring her friends up every once in a while.

It was great. They barely even registered her presence. That was a good sign - maybe she wasn't even a suspect!

She knew it was just wishful thinking the moment Aido Hanabusa stepped out.

They caught each other's eyes almost instantly, and already, Koharu was struggling not to make her eyes turn red. _Damn Blood-lust._ She had done a pretty good job of ignoring and maneuvering around his presence up until now, but it was getting increasingly harder to do so. Her gums ached like crazy - she wanted to bite him so badly. It took an impeccable amount of self restraint to keep herself in check and prevent her eyes from transforming. He was flirting with his fans again, keeping up appearances. It was something they both seemed to excel at.

She tried not to focus on his face as much - maybe that would give her more control.

It was difficult when he was suddenly standing a mere two feet away from her.

"Hello Yuki! Care to introduce me to your friend?" He said, politely enough.

She was already annoyed at him. He knew who she was. Just the thought that he was being deceitful around her was irritating. She supposed she was being hypocritical, but she couldn't resist her desire to rat him out for it.

"I'm Koharu Nakamura, as I'm quite sure you've heard" _You know who I am._ She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

He raised a blond brow in response, "That I have. What class are you in, Nakamura Koharu?" He smiled to himself. _You were wrong if you thought I'd give up._

She ground her teeth. She knew that he knew which class she was in as well. He was just baiting her. She recognized the challenge for what it was.

"I'm a first year, Aido-senpai. Yuki-san is in the class above me" She lied on purpose, grinding his gears on purpose purely to observe his reaction with a shrewd eye.

His eyes flashed. _So the cat has claws._ Internally it disturbed him that she didn't trust him. She saw him as an enemy rather than a friend - despite the fact that they were mates.

"Nice to meet you, Ko-ha-ru" He pronounced her first name just to irritate her more. She knew he was toying with her. A side of her enjoyed it, she supposed, smiling wryly to herself. Again, she had to fight the urge to feed again. He was very handsome. _I must see Chiyo after this. For blood._

"You as well Aido-senpai"

He looked down at her, his 5' 10" frame giving him an intimidating edge against her much shorter 5' 5", "Normally, I wouldn't talk to average students like you" he paused for a second, gauging her reaction.

Tch. _So arrogant._

He smiled at her defiance. As small part of him enjoyed it, he supposed.

"But a friend of mine asked me to give this to you" He discreetly handed her the syringe, placing it delicately into her cold and clammy hands. _So she's nervous as well,_ he observed.

She was quick to defend herself, though she knew it was in vain. By now, Aido Hanabusa probably knew everything. Clearly, he, or _someone_ , had seen what was in the drawer already. _Exactly how much did they know?_

"Aido-senpai," she purposefully tried to look confused, "this does not belong to me."

Koharu almost cried at that moment - she didn't expect for people to be on her trail so quickly. The game was too tough, too intense for her - she just wanted information about the Night Class. _Shit's going to hit the fan pretty soon. I can sense it._

He looked at her in mock confusion as well. This game they were playing was really fun.

"Oh? Then I apologize for my friend's mistake, Koharu" He paused, "He told me specifically that you would want it"

 _He._ She knew who that probably was. Kaname Kuran. She didn't know how many purebloods were in the Night Class, but she knew for sure that Kaname Kuran was most definitely the most dominant one of them all. After all, he was the Moon Dorm head. It was possible that Kaname-sama had ordered Hanabusa Aido to give her the syringe. _Maybe as a warning to back off or something_. But if that was the case, why would they leave her alone knowing that she was a vampire? Clearly, something else was in play here.

Well, either that or Hanabusa Aido was lying. Which she didn't think was underneath him at all.

Regardless, the safest option would be to accept. She pocketed the syringe, deciding to maintain her clueless demeanor.

"Thank you, Aido-sama. Though I am not sure what I am supposed to do with it" Aido shrugged in response, looking as clueless as her.

He smiled victoriously to himself and nodded goodbye to Koharu. Clearly, the poor girl was shaken.

As he looked back, he saw her eyes flicker red once more. He caught his breath. _She was experiencing it too._ Hanabusa felt his eyes turn red at the sight.

He shut his eyes for a good few seconds to regain control, unaware that she was doing just the same. He turned around and walked away, before he did anything more dubious.

His ears caught the jealous murmurs of fangirls, contemplating over what happened just now between him and Koharu, the new girl. They were out of hearing range, but they had most definitely observed him and Koharu conversing.

It wasn't anything too suspicious to catch the other vampires' attention. To everyone else, it just looked like they had a quick conversation. His classmates all probably thought he was just flirting with her or something.

But before his fans could become too jealous, he shot them all a smile, cheerfully saying, "Good Morning everyone!" Thankfully, that got their spirits up quickly. They seemed to forget about the scene that just occurred before them, and Hanabusa quickly resumed flirting with them (as per usual).

However, it made him uncomfortable to think that he had caused Koharu discomfort, but really, he had no other way to approach her. Had she persisted, she would have most definitely landed in trouble with Kaname-sama.

Even now, Hanabusa was sure that Kaname was aware, to a certain degree, of at least some level of interaction between Aido and the new Day Class student. Even he would have to be watchful from now on. Especially for Koharu Nakamura's safety, which was most at risk at the moment.

Koharu remained in place, gazing at Hanabusa Aido's lithe figure as he turned away from her. She sensed her eyes transforming, and quickly shut them to regain control of herself. This was getting too much for her to handle.

As she stood waiting for the rest of the Night Class to leave, so that she, Yuki, and Zero could walk home, she retrieved the syringe from her uniform pocket and gazed at it. Upon closer examination, she found a tiny note, written in pen on white parchment paper, on the inside edge of the syringe.

Surprisingly, nobody had even noticed Hanabusa handing her the syringe. Koharu looked around once more just to make sure. Nobody seemed to even notice her. Just to be safe, she pocketed the syringe once more. Koharu resolved to examine it later. She turned around and waved to some of her classmates standing in the crowd, smiling at them happily.

They waved back at her too, and for a good minute, Koharu enjoyed the moment, forgetting all about her troubles at hand.

"Koharu, are you ready to leave now? Zero and I are done with our duties for the moment"

Zero looked at her, his face in a permanent frown.

Koharu nodded in response, "Yuki, this was really fun!"

"Really?" Yuki looked hopeful, "So you can come with us everyday?"

Koharu chuckled at that. Yuki looked really cute, "Probably not everyday, no… I have so much homework to do! I can't let my studies slip up like that" She looked at Yuki once more. It was a reasonable enough excuse.

"Oh.." Yuki looked a bit disappointed, "That's ok, though. I guess it's understandable that you wouldn't want to let your grades drop"

Koharu felt the slightest amount of guilt tugging at her heart and smiled at Yuki with sympathy.

Deep down, she knew that her studies weren't the issue. She really wanted to spend time with Yuki, but she couldn't risk being so close to vampires all the time. She supposed, in an alternate reality maybe, that Yuki and her would have made great friends.

Zero was another matter. Koharu got the feeling that Zero didn't like her very much. He never spoke to her on his own volition, and no matter how friendly she was, he never returned in kind. _She_ didn't like Zero that much as well, she supposed. They just tolerated each other's presence around Yuki. For Koharu, that was enough.

They walked in companionable silence back to the Sun Dorms.

Once they reached their room, Koharu and Yuki began working on their homework. It usually took Ko about an hour to complete, but when doing it with Yuki, she ended up taking too many breaks to help the struggling girl out. She had finished only about half of her work after two hours' time.

"Yuki, you just divide it like you would regular numbers, see?"

"Yeah, I get that, but then what happens to the x?"

"Don't think of x as a letter. If you look at it like a number, it makes total sense" Koharu sighed.

Polynomial division was hard to understand the first time she did it too, so it wasn't right for her to get frustrated at Yuki. She looked at Yuki's face. It was clear that she still didn't understand. _This was going to take some time._

Yuki finally understood the concept late into the night, at which point the poor girl had to go on patrol duty. Surprisingly, Koharu had not lost patience until then. _It is so unfair for Yuki. The only reason she doesn't do well in school is because of patrol duty. She is such a hardworking student that she would be so much more academically competent than she is, were it not for that stinking Disciplinary Committee._

In a way, Koharu had enjoyed teaching Yuki math, but she was frustrated. It was well into the night, and she still hadn't finished her own homework. On top of that, she hadn't even had time to examine the syringe. And on top of that, she needed to feed. Desperately.

Quickly, before curfew time was over, she ran over to Chiyo's room to get her urges taken care of. _God that sounded weird._ It felt amazing to have such great friends who were so willing to help her. Koharu smiled. She was one lucky high school girl.

She got started on the remainder of her homework and, thankfully, was able to finish within the hour. By now it was almost midnight.

She put all of her books away, went into the bathroom changed into her nightgown quickly. She went to her desk and brought out the syringe that Aido Hanabusa had given to her earlier during the day.

She looked at it closely. It was in the same condition it was previously, before it was taken from her, save for the added written note. Koharu made a mental note to be more wary about where she kept the stuff in her room. It was possible that the vampires had actually come into her room while she and Yuki were in class.

She felt a chill breeze from the window sweep in and rustle her hair. She looked over - the window was open. It was actually very likely they came in through there. She recalled that it was open last night (and the night before). Abruptly, Koharu stood up and walked over to it, slamming it shut and drawing down the curtains to it, unaware that a curious Hanabusa Aido was watching her every movement from the outside.

He frowned in disappointment when she slammed it shut, shrugging to himself and making his way back to class.

They were probably wondering where he was anyways, and he didn't even know why he made his way to her dorm room. He didn't intend to go there in the first place; he just couldn't resist his urges. It was a new feeling for him. Hanabusa was captivated with her very essence - he couldn't control it. _Not as well as she could, anyways._

He was already in love with her.

…

Koharu was tired, and she needed solid rest. After rubbing her eyes for a few seconds, she slowly extracted the note from the syringe, placing it under her desk lamp to get a closer look.

There in clean, cursive script was written:

 _Trust me when I say I am a friend who wants to help you.  
Please meet me at the fountain next week at midnight._

 _I will give you the answers you need in if you answer some questions of mine._

 _\- Hanabusa Aido_

Koharu couldn't help but smile in relief.

 _So Aido had lied -_ _He_ _had snuck into my dorm to take it, not Kaname. And Kaname probably never even asked him to give it to me… It was probably a ploy to get me to accept it. Does Kaname-sama even know about this then?_

No matter how much she denied it herself, deep down she knew what was happening. Every passing minute she felt herself becoming more and more smitten with him. He was mysterious enough for her to want to know more about him, but there was no rush - at least not for her. She liked taking her time, reveling in each passing second at how they made each other feel. It was more cerebral than it was physical.

She hadn't even spoken to him all that much, but she felt like she knew him. They felt _connected_. And she realized that he wanted to meet her - to get to know her. She did as well.

She didn't know how much the other vampires knew, or even how much Aido Hanabusa knew. But she felt safe when he reached out to her. For a moment, Koharu forgot of her fear and anxiousness about her situation.

She didn't know Hanabusa particularly well. She knew he lied, and she knew he was smart, terrifyingly so. She was both of those things too.

And while both those traits were not exactly the attributes of a trustworthy person, Koharu trusted him … She trusted him.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Thank you so much for all those who reviewed, followed, favorited, etc. so far! It's really nice to know that people are reading and enjoying what I write :) I plan on sticking with this story until completion. It actually takes a lot of time for me to write the chapters and proofread, so I plan on having monthly updates. This'll be a bit difficult for me to accomplish because I can get pretty busy with school and extracurriculars, but I will definitely try my best to maintain a consistent writing schedule.

* * *

The rest of the week passed by relatively quickly.

Koharu worked diligently on coming up with good questions for Hanabusa. She had time to organize her thoughts and figure out what she needed to know, but there was just so much. Too much she wanted to know, so little time.

It didn't bother her as much, because a small part of her hoped to see him again. It scared her though. Many times, Koharu found that she had to forcefully remind herself that she didn't know enough about Aido to trust him with everything.

While they were soul mates, it would put him in an extremely difficult situation to choose between her and Kaname Kuran (if at all he had to). She still didn't know whether she would be accepted by Kaname Kuran if at all she chose to rejoin society. Koharu wondered. _Would Hanabusa pick Kaname-sama over me?_

Simply the thought of that worried her. She couldn't risk to lose him. Just the thought of him leaving her made her heart clench with irrational anxiety. _My life wouldn't even be the same anymore._

She had read, in ancient vampiric texts, what happened to vampires who lost their soulmates. For a vampire to even have a soul mate was very rare, even amongst purebloods, and losing a soulmate hurt more than losing any loved one - it was supposed to feel like part of your soul itself was being ripped away.

Emotional pain would turn into physical pain quickly, and soon after, the vampire would descend into madness for eternity. The only time a vampire lost its soul mate in the past was through death.

Quickly, she shook her head, a dull blush adorning her otherwise pale face. _There's no reason for me to think such thoughts._

Instead, she went back into doing her homework. She looked at the clock. _10:00pm_. Yuki had just gone on patrols. She would be back a little after 1:30am.

That only gave Koharu and Aido approximately a 1 hour window to speak. She ground her teeth in frustration. _That wasn't enough time._

Again, she shook herself from distraction and focused on finishing her homework. It was English, her weakest subject.

By the time she finished her assignments, it was 11:00pm. She still had time to spare. Koharu tried doing some extra math problems, but a few minutes in, and she just couldn't focus. She began pacing across the room in restlessness.

Finally, she gave in to temptation and decided to leave early. _Right into the lion's den._ She tensed up in apprehension even more.

Going early would accomplish nothing, but at the very least she could ease her own restless mind.

She crept out the window quietly, taking extra care to not make a single sound. It was likely that none of the other girls in her dorm heard her, but Koharu couldn't take any chances. Not anymore.

When she reached, she saw that Hanabusa was already there. Waiting.

Koharu resisted the urge to meet him right away. Instead, she scouted the entire area as quickly as possible, just to be sure that what she was going to do was completely safe.

It wasn't. Most of the Night Class was in the Main Building, but they all seemed to be very involved in one thing or another. She wondered what excuse Aido thought up to meet her.

In addition, Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu were missing, along with Kaname-sama. _Where were they?_

She came out of the foliage and into the view of Hanabusa Aido.

His eyes followed her movements sharply. _She was very sneaky. Not even a hunter would be able to sense her presence easily._

"Where are the others?" she asked. At that he raised an eyebrow, silent for a moment as he processed her question.

 _Oh - Yuki, Kaname-sama, and Zero… She was very sharp as well_. It made his heart twinge. _Was she always a step ahead of me?_

He smiled to himself. He felt lucky to have such an intelligent vampire as a soul mate, a bit jealous of her, even.

"Zero Kiryu lost control and bit Cross Yuki. They're meeting the headmaster right now to sort it all out I think."

He suspected she knew about Zero being a vampire already. She nodded in response, smiling lightly to herself before taking a seat on the ledge of the fountain (Hanabusa found himself doing the same). Koharu couldn't help but feel internally elated. _Just being with him felt so beautiful._

The sight of her smile almost made Hanabusa sigh - he let out a smile of his own. Tentative, curious, loving.

"I'll go first. You are a Nakamura, correct?" she nodded at that, "Are you a pureblood?"

He was surprisingly forward, but Koharu didn't mind.

"No - even though I come from a line of purebloods, the Nakamura bloodline eventually became diluted. I am a level B vampire." There was a pause.

"What class are you?" she questioned calmly, attempting in vain to cover up her internal turmoil.

She gazed directly into his turquoise depths, trying to control her bloodlust. _How embarrassing._

"I am a level B as well. I'm also the heir of the Aido family. What is your special ability?"

By now, Koharu's eyes were a brilliant red, and, from seeing her lose control so easily, Hanabusa couldn't help but react similarly.

"D-do you wish to feed?" He asked gently, nervously, extending his wrist out towards her.

He didn't know what feeding with a soul mate felt like, and he doubted that she did as well. But the urge to feed in both of them was so strong that it would have been impossible for both of them to resist for much longer anyways. Koharu realized that as well.

She didn't even fight to suppress her blush this time, knowing that it would have been a battle fought in vain.

She raised her own slender hand and lifted his pale wrist to her mouth. She gently slid her fangs into his wrist, relishing in the metallic taste of the blood as it came in quick pulses. It felt amazing - there was no other way to describe it.

She felt so immensely satiated- Koharu knew at that very instant that she would never even need to feed off of anyone else again. Just his blood was enough. She drank for a few more seconds, drifting her eyes closed for a moment in utter satisfaction.

When she let go of his arm and looked up at him, Koharu realized that Hanabusa hadn't quenched his thirst either. With a delicate smile, she lifted her own hand to his mouth, urging him to feed as well.

Hanabusa complied almost immediately, inserting his fangs into her wrist without any hesitation. Her blood was sweet. _Sweeter than Yuki's_. He almost lost himself in her, before catching himself quickly. He drank from her some more, looking straight into her purple gaze as his mind caught up with the present. _I never want to leave her side._

He extracted his fangs from her wrist, quickly licking the wound clean so as to not alert the other vampires of her presence. In his excitement, he had caused some spillage of the precious girl's blood.

Hanabusa grinned at the slightly contemptuous glare she sent in his direction - he had never been a clean feeder.

He raised a blond brow rather arrogantly, "A delicate thing like yourself should be happy that I did you the favor of cleaning up the mess. Otherwise, the others would have caught scent of you."

She groaned internally - his arrogance annoyed her like crazy (though she would never admit that she kind of enjoyed it).

Hanabusa Aido had absolutely no tact, and for a second, she even doubted whether he was the genius that she originally thought him to be.

Koharu scoffed at his antics, "As if. First of all, I am hardly as delicate as you make me out to be. A vampire like you should know not to judge books by their covers. Especially so brashly." He looked a bit taken aback by her response.

She continued, "Secondly, if any one of the vampires found out, they would only question _you_. For breaking the rules and feeding from a human girl."

Actually, Hanabusa found her to be quite arrogant as well. _Not that I'm complaining._

"Ha! And what happens when I tell them that it really isn't a human girl? Who's going to be in trouble then, huh?" He retorted, a bit childishly.

Koharu paused for a moment, forming her argument. After a few seconds, she began enthusiastically, "Ok fine, let's play it forward. The Night Class realizes that I am a vampire. They won't know exactly what to do with me without consulting the Council. So Koharu is temporarily in the clear."

Hanabusa smiled to himself. He could predict where this was going.

She continued, "Then Kaname-sama finds out that _you_ haven't been honest with him about the fact that there was a previously unaccounted for _vampire_ in the Day Class. He sees you as a liability, and you are punished."

He started, "Ok fine, I'll give you that much. Let's play it forward a bit more, shall we? Koharu's fate is in the hands of the Council, which will choose to either allow her to remain in society or execute her. I, on the other hand, will have only _temporarily_ lost the trust of Kaname-sama, and I suffer a slap. So you tell me which is worse: a shameful death through execution or a slap and a temporary loss of trust."

Hanabusa knew in his head that this wasn't true - the Council would most likely pardon her if they were to know that she was the soul mate to the heir of a powerful and elite bloodline. And a Nakamura.

She was quick to respond, "A vampire that has lost its soul mate to death suffers a life filled with misery. Koharu gets to die. Hanabusa will live his life feeling guilty about feeding irresponsibly and will inevitably descend into madness. _You_ tell me which is worse."

They both fell quiet almost immediately after that, in a shocked silence. The problem had been bothering her throughout, and she felt like she was going to combust from all of the internalized pressure caused by it. Her identity had to be kept a secret to guarantee her safety.

Revealing herself to others was a very risky move, but she would have to do it if she was to be with Hanabusa. _This is a recipe for disaster_. And Koharu knew that Hanabusa realized their predicament himself.

More silence.

Koharu hadn't meant to verbalize it so early on, especially since they barely knew each other all that well.

But Hanabusa decided that he liked a girl who was honest. He liked her. A lot.

"Well.. at least I cleaned up the blood.." he grumbled.

"… I'm so sorry Hanabusa. I didn't mean to say it like tha-" She stopped mid-sentence at hearing his words.

 _Wow._

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Koharu laughed, tilting her head back in delight.

She laughed. At how he made her feel, how endearing he was, how lucky she was. _Was he even trying?_ To her, he was a different kind of funny - he feigned naivety with purpose and, dare she say it, tasteful wit. He was foolish and arrogant and carefree, except he wasn't.

And Koharu loved that. She loved _him._

Hanabusa laughed with her. Her voice was melodious; he wanted more of it.

She understood him, he could gather that much. He understood her as well - her fears, her worries, her wants. They were the exact same as his. He supposed that was why they got along so well; they were the same, in a strange, convoluted way.

They eased into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's presence peacefully. Koharu yawned. _Oh no._ It was almost time to go.

Hanabusa?" Koharu questioned rather timidly (Neither knew when they started speaking on a first name basis, and neither was complaining).

But before she left for the night, there was one thing that Koharu wanted to ask. One thing they needed to discuss.

Hanabusa raised an eyebrow lazily in response, giving her the green light she was asking for.

"What's our next step?"

"No clue." There was a slight pause, and then Hanabusa resumed, "I mean, I suppose we should probably begin with figuring out how to safely introduce you to society."

She nodded in agreement, "And that would require Kaname-sama to know exactly who I am."

"It's very likely that he's already suspicious of you, especially since you are close to Yuki."

"That, combined with the fact that my family is seen in a rather unfavorable light by society, stacks the cards against our favor- there is bound to be at least some conflict with me and Kaname-sama" At this, Koharu eyed Hanabusa's reaction.

"I wholly agree, but you are very pessimistic. There have to be other options - maybe addressing the Council directly? That would avoid conflict with Kaname-sama"

"In their hands, I run the risk of execution."

At that he scoffed, "You underestimate the Aido family name. I doubt the Council would order the execution of the soul mate of such a powerful family"

"What about _my_ family history? Wouldn't that raise some eyebrows?"

"Raise some eyebrows, yes. But the Nakamura line is not as hated anymore - they're seen as martyrs for their ideologies of vampire and human coexistence." Hanabusa stopped for a second, tilting his head in thought.

"Where is the rest of your family?"

At this, she flushed, bowing her head in embarrassment, "I was disowned, Hanabusa, for not being able to control my urges around humans"

He raised an eyebrow. Hanabusa had assumed that Koharu had mastered abstinence, like what folklore said about her family.

"So the rest of your family is still in hiding? And you've been feeding from humans all this time?"

She nodded, "Even _I_ don't know where my family is anymore, and.." she shifted uncomfortably, "yes to the second question."

"Interesting…" _There was no way Kaname-sama or Kaien Cross even knew about this side of hers._

"How do you feed? And how come there haven't been any rumors about you?"

"I feed from my friends. They have been sworn to secrecy"

He smiled - that explained her social adeptness. There was no reason for a vampire to _not_ lay low in the human social strata except to feed inconspicuously.

She looked at him with worry, "Will my feeding practices work against me in court?"

"That's very likely, yes"

"Then what will we do?" She questioned, rather pathetically, looking at Hanabusa through her beautiful purple eyes.

He realized that it was too late for him.

He had fallen inextricably in love with her _already_ , and regardless of which logical lens he looked through, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that risking such trouble wasn't worth it, his mind only told him one thing. They were _meant_ to be together.

And if, for that to happen, they both had to leap out of the frying pan and into the fire, if that was what it would take, then Hanabusa realized that he would do it. He would happily do it for her. _For them._

He smiled grimly, taking her chalk white palm in his hand, holding it lovingly and memorizing its feel.

He brought it up gently to his lips, pressing a soft, barely there kiss, and setting it back down. He looked at her once more, taking in her stunning gaze and her worried expression. His heart lurched. _How cute._

"No other options, Koharu. We lie."

* * *

Hanabusa Aido walked back to class with a spring in his step, mind racing.

If he introduced Koharu as his soulmate to his family, they would most certainly welcome her. He would just have to paint her in a more socially acceptable light. _That_ meant leaving out the fact that she fed from humans. And that it was likely that Kaname Kuran harbored dislike towards her.

It wouldn't be too hard at first, but if Kaname Kuran caught wind of her before they were ready for him, there would be hell to pay.

He stopped walking, freezing in place as he saw Kain Akatsuki walking towards him. _Does he know?_

"Where were you?" He asked Kain. _Best to throw suspicion onto him to avoid it myself._

"Looking for you," Akatsuki replied. _Damn. So much for that tactic._

"I was by the fountain. Reading" He pulled out a book on Quantum Mechanical Theory from his coat pocket as proof. _That sounds believable enough_. Thankfully he still had that on his body.

"Hn" Akatsuki nodded in response, accepting the excuse.

Hanabusa wondered if Koharu was interested in Quantum Mechanics. He doubted it - she seemed more like a math person than a science person. But Quantum Mechanics involved both. Hanabusa resolved to introduce her to it someday.

They walked back together silently.

"Hanabusa I want to talk to you. In private." Aido looked at him, slightly shocked. _Does he know?_ He was sure that nobody, including Seiren, was aware of what had happened. They were all occupied. There was no way any of them could have known.

"And cover your wrist," Akatsuki advised.

Hanabusa looked down again, at the two neat puncture marks on his skin, a delicate reminder of their first encounter.

He very nearly blushed, quickly pulling his uniform sleeve down to cover the mark. Because he was a vampire it would heal quickly, but it was imperative that nobody else saw it.

Akatsuki would most likely be on their side, and there was no point in hiding the truth from him. If anything, it would put Hanabusa under more suspicion and in even more danger.

As they continued their trek back to class in quiet, Hanabusa decided that it was okay, inevitable even, that Akatsuki knew the truth.


	8. Chapter 8

She gazed idly outside the window, appreciating the scenic campus at Cross Academy. The autumn leaves drifted lazily across the ground as the trees rustled in the wind.

 _Whoever was in charge of the landscaping here certainly did a great job. Loads of forest space for both vampires and humans to frolic about in peace and harmony._

Koharu snorted sarcastically. _As if that would ever happen._

It was possible with the advent of blood tablets, but apparently they were barely enough and highly inefficient. Hanabusa had a tough time controlling his urges even _with_ the use of the tablets.

They were not enough sustenance, but Koharu recognized that with a few readjustments and alterations they had the potential to be more effective. Hanabusa told her the process of manufacturing them, and she already had a few ideas on what improvements to make. She smiled to herself.

The position she was in was great - ideal even. Hanabusa visited her nearly every night, after Yuki left for patrols, and slowly they had begun hatching a failsafe plan.

Hanabusa had just recently informed his parents about her, conveniently leaving out certain details about her feeding habits and the fact that she was disowned from her family.

As far as his family was aware, Koharu was the last living descendant of the diluted Nakamura bloodline and was a Day Student at Cross Academy, living under Kaien Cross as his adopted daughter.

They knew that no pureblood vampire was aware of her existence, including Kaname Kuran.

Hanabusa told his father that it was simply because she was too shy - it would be more comfortable for her to be introduced to purebloods as at least _someone_ in society rather than a reclusive vampire.

It would be safest for her to ask for acceptance to the Council through the Aido family.

Nagamichi Aido agreed and wanted her to spend the Winter Holidays with them, both to get to know her himself and to introduce her to the Council in person.

Koharu accepted the offer. The odds were in her favor, since she was both a Nakamura and the soul mate to the heir of an elite and powerful family.

The bell rang shrilly, yanking her back into the present. Koharu frowned. _I'm becoming more and more like Yuki by the day_. It wouldn't do to zone out so much in class. Yuki could afford it, but she couldn't.

Koharu stood up, quickly stuffing her notes and other loose papers (from god knows what) messily into her bag.

"Hey Koharu, you joining us for game night today?" Chiyo asked.

"Yes, of course! It's not like I have other things to do anyways," _And that couldn't be farther from the truth_, Koharu thought sarcastically, "6 pm sharp?"

"Yup" said Mei, "And that gives us an ample two hours to finish up all of our homework"

"More than enough," Hikari nodded in agreement, "Whose dorm are we meeting in?"

"We could do mine," Koharu pitched in. Hanabusa would be busy till very late at night, and it was a Friday anyways. She didn't mind staying up extra late as long as it meant that she could sleep in the next day. _And besides. I need a break._

"Sounds great! Are you sure Yuki won't mind?"

"Nah - she'll be out late at a Night Class party tonight"

"Night Class party?" Tsukiko breathed in wonderment, "I didn't know they held parties…"

"Well apparently it's Ichijo-san's birthday today - it's supposed to be a really secret high-profile celebration. They don't want Day Class girls sneaking in and ruining the fun"

"Oh…" Mei nodded, pausing for a second "Hey, wanna sneak into that party and ruin the fun?" She smiled devilishly.

"Risk getting expelled and sacrifice a good opportunity to wind down and spend quality time with my friends for the sake of causing at most only mild irritation to a handful of Night Class students?" Hikari questioned Hikari, skeptically.

"Oh, do count me in!" Koharu trilled with faux enthusiasm.

Mei snorted sullenly in response, "You don't have to be mean about it, guys.. It was just an idea"

Koharu smiled apologetically, giving her a consoling pat on the back, "Sorry, we didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything"

She knew that Mei wasn't _really_ hurt by their teasing. It happened all the time, and besides, it wasn't safe for her friends to go to a nighttime gathering with only vampires around. In fact, she had absolutely no idea why Yuki was going either. _But she was probably going to be safe with Zero around. And they have the Bloody Rose._

Koharu slung her bag over her shoulder, standing up as she did so, "We should get going guys. Before the fangirls begin to barricade the halls"

They strolled calmly, with the rest of their class, out of the main building. The autumn breeze was slightly chill, but nevertheless calming as it rustled their hair and gently caressed their faces. Koharu walked in silence, peacefully immersing herself in the moment.

"Finish all of your homework fast, okay? We'll meet back together at Koharu's room at 6," Tsukiko recapitulated as they began to pair off (all except Koharu) into their dorms.

They all waved their goodbyes and muttered parting gestures, eventually leaving Koharu alone to finish the walk to her dorm, which was still a ways away.

As she walked to her dorm, she allowed her mind to wander just a bit…

She couldn't wait until she got to meet the rest of Hanabusa's family and see where he lived. His status as an aristocrat probably meant that he was living in the lap of luxury, with maids and servants to attend to his every whim and fancy.

She tried to imagine what that felt like, but no matter how hard she scrunched up her eyebrows and willed herself to see herself living that kind of life, she just couldn't.

As a family of exiled vampires, her parents hadn't exactly been well off to start with, and, adding to that the fact that she had actually been _disowned_ by them put her in a worse tier.

Before Kaien Cross found her, she was just a pebble above the poverty line, barely able to afford food for sustenance, let alone rent for her apartment.

Her situation now was definitely a far cry better from her earlier life (at least now she was able to receive a proper _education_ without having to steal books and try to teach herself).

She tried to imagine herself from the past, a grungy looking girl wearing filthy rags, barely able to afford basic living commodities, next to Aido Hanabusa, a flashy, high-maintenance teenage vampire, heir to his own prestigious family, living in mansions all over the globe while honorably serving the pureblood Kaname Kuran.

She cringed - it was a very incongruous image.

She tried again, this time with a new her: slightly better condition than before, more hygienic, happier visage, wearing a neatly pressed uniform, acing her studies.

This version, Koharu 2.0, fit a bit better next to his image, but it still felt slightly off. They were from two different worlds, except not technically - she was still a vampire of the same class as him, who came from (and was knowledgeable and aware of) the same culture as him.

The only difference was that she would have to fight for acceptance in this society.

While he would definitely be there to help her through the struggle, it wasn't right for him to be punished for any of her shortcomings. And that would undoubtedly end up happening if they continued the plan to keep Kaname-sama in the dark. Surely he realized this as well.

Kaname would end up knowing anyways. She wondered whether telling Kaname herself would be a better choice… _That needs more thought and development_ , she resolved.

It wouldn't do to follow through with some random, half-baked idea that she developed on the walk home from school one day. She'd end up regretting it later.

However, if she worked on it hard enough and developed a reasonable plan with no logical pitfalls, then maybe it stood a chance.

* * *

Their game night went off without a hitch, and it served as a surprisingly enjoyable distraction from the stress of both her secret life and school. _For a second there, I even felt like a normal highschool girl._

Koharu sighed to herself, picking up empty bags of chips, and other snacks strewn across the floor of her dorm, tiredly.

After cleaning up the residual mess of the informal party, she changed into her nightclothes, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and plopped into bed, thoroughly exhausted.

She allowed her eyes to rest just for a few seconds before being woken again by the sound of tiny pebbles hitting the closed window.

Groaning loudly, Koharu, with a massive effort, hauled herself out of bed and yanked open the window, letting Hanabusa entry.

A gust of chill air, and then he stood in front of her. She shut the window after him.

Again, she couldn't help but notice the differences in their appearances. While she stood in plain, baby blue cotton pyjamas, barefoot, with her hair in a careless bun, he looked impressive in a no-doubt expensive suit, with styled hair, and sharp, piercing turquoise eyes.

"How was the party?" She asked, in a meager attempt at conversation.

She felt horribly self-conscious under his gaze and didn't like it one bit.

"It was fun," he said, "I wish you could have come.. Yuki was there. Never left Kaname-sama's side" He pouted slightly at this, prompting a giggle from Koharu as she took a seat on her bed.

He followed suit.

"Tell me something I _don't_ know. Kaname Kuran's unusual attachment to Yuki is basically the only thing holding us back from revealing my identity safely."

He nodded in agreement, "No matter how much I think, I just _can't_ figure out why she is important to him."

"It's obvious that she is in love with him. And I'm starting to get the feeling that he might be in love with her as well"

He looked at her mortified, "Don't be stupid. Kaname-sama is a pureblood vampire. There is absolutely no way he would ever reduce himself to _that_ "

"I'm just considering it as a possibility. And we've got absolutely no _other_ ideas as to why she could be important, so it's the best we've got"

He conceded to her logic, and they settled into a comfortable lull.

"Oh, by the way - I got you something"

Koharu raised a skeptical eyebrow in response, "We've known each other for two months"

He shot her an indulgent smile, "Don't worry, it's not a wedding ring"

Before she could say anything else, he pulled out a rather thick hardcover book: _The Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics._

"For me?" She asked dubiously, "I have barely enough time to do my schoolwork and manage my social life, let alone start learning a completely new subject. Thanks for the thought, though."

He rolled his eyes at her, "Not for now. For the Winter Holidays. You are going to be at my house for the whole time anyways. It's so you won't get bored. I figured I could start to teach you - if you're interested, that is"

"Don't worry, I am. I can't wait, actually. I've wanted to learn Quantum Mechanical Theory for a while now" she paused for a minute, gazing into his eyes, "I just didn't think that far ahead this time. Will it just be me, you, and your family?"

"It depends. Kain and Ruka might end up visiting for one or two days, but other than that, it will just be us"

"Hm," she nodded in acknowledgement, taking the book from him and placing it on her desk, "Again, thanks. Not just for this, but for everything else as well"

He gazed at her with an emotion she couldn't quite place - _Affection? Not quite_..., "No problem"

She took her place on the bed, lying next to Hanabusa and resting her head on the headboard. Koharu stretched out her legs as well, neatly positioning them next to Hanabusa's.

She clasped her hand in his, gently interlocking their fingers. His hand was soft and malleable, fitting to her palm perfectly. She felt her eyes drift shut.

"You look very tired"

One eye opened lazily, "I am. Very"

Just as he made to leave, she shot up, leaping out of the bed with wide eyes. She strode to her desk immediately and began jotting something down.

Hanabusa stood stunned, only momentarily, at her before rearranging his expression.

"You want me to stay?"

"Yes, of course," before he could give her a characteristic smirk, she hastily added, "but not for whatever filthy thing you are thinking of. I can guarantee you that"

He had ample time to look disappointed.

"I have another idea"

Once more, she took his hand and led him to her bed, allowing him to take a seat next to her.

It was unusual how only he could keep up with her jumps in thought effortlessly.

"Is it going to change our pre-existing plans?" Hanabusa questioned, a bit miffed.

At times, he found his mate's prescient and calculative nature quite bothersome. _She's never slow about anything. Was she always this neurotic? Or was it genius?_ Of course, whatever it was, it didn't budge his love for her in the least. Rather, it bolstered it.

"No - it's going to _bolster_ our plans" She shot him a cheeky grin. Hanabusa was surprised at her word choice, but made no mention of it.

"Why aren't we telling Kaname-sama about the fact that I'm a vampire?"

Hanabusa looked unimpressed, "Socratic questioning… Really Koharu?"

She nodded enthusiastically, "Just bear with me for a second"

He conceded, taking hold of her hand and distractedly tracing patterns on it. It was slim, papery white, and almost fragile looking.

"Because Kaname-sama would be opposed to your recognition after knowing that you fed from Yuki."

"And?"

"He would not support your recognition. Reintroducing you to society would be all the more difficult, if not impossible, because it would mean defying the orders of a Pureblood."

"But if Kaname-sama did not see me as a threat to Yuki's safety?"

"Then there is a big chance you would be in the clear"

"So we now have two options: Completely avoid telling Kaname-sama about me and letting him find out through the Council, or put myself in a favorable light, make him not hate me, and then reveal myself either directly to him or indirectly through the Council. Which do you think is most beneficial to us?"

He sighed, slightly annoyed, pausing a moment to clear his thoughts. _Either way, if Kaname-sama did not see her as a threat to Yuki, her recognition would happen more smoothly. And her future, perhaps as a Night Class student, would also be more secure_. "Well clearly the second option. But keep in mind that I have already scheduled for you to come over for the Holidays. We are going to have to put you in a more favorable light, as you so eloquently put, and reveal yourself to the  Council. But I think that was the safest option anyways."

She nodded, smug.

"So now all we need is to figure out a way to make Kaname-sama see you as less of a threat to Yuki."

Koharu stood up triumphantly, brushing imaginary dirt off of her pyjama bottoms and turning to look at Hanabusa with a wide smile. His heart dropped.

"Yup!" She shot him a small mock salute, "my work here is done."

She walked up to the window and yanked it open with substantial vigor.

" _Now_ you are free to leave."

He shot her a look.

"No. Shut the window please."

"What do you mean 'No' ?!" She looked at him incredulously, but she shut the window nevertheless.

"If you think that I am even going to _entertain_ the possibility that you are staying overnight, you are sorely mistaken"

At that he smirked, "We're soulmates. It _is_ going to happen in the future, and you will _most_ _certainly_ entertain the possibility. And also, it's technically morning now. I already have stayed overnight"

A bright blush donned her features as she responded rather forcefully, " _NO_ "

He nodded, "Fair enough. But the reason I asked you to close the window was because I have something else I wanted to ask you"

"Ookay?"

He smiled, and her heartbeat sped just a tad bit faster "Don't worry it's nothing big"

A slight pause.

"I need your body measurements"

She balked at that.

"What?!"

He laughed at her and her gaping mouth for a good two minutes, ceasing only when he noticed her irritation and the growing redness in her cheeks.

"For your clothes," he let out another chuckle and patted her head, "My mother needs to shop for your stay. We need your measurements to buy the right clothes"

She stared at him blankly "Why can't I just pack my clothes from here?"

He raised an eyebrow, "You can't have possibly been thinking of visiting an aristocratic family in your school uniform"

She frowned, "I have othe-"

"They won't do. When you stay with us, you shouldn't be dressing as a commoner. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. The faster you accept it, the easier your transition will be"

"Why is there a _transition_ in the first place?!"

She could see the growing annoyance on his face, but she really didn't understand. Shopping for an entire _wardrobe_ seemed like a huge waste of time and money. _Or maybe it_ _is just me_. _I'm_ _the one that's supposed to be fitting in with them - complaining about their lifestyle is just about the worst thing I could be doing._

"Do you know what it's like to sleep in luxurious, lavender-scented beds the twice the size of yours? Have you experienced a rose-water bath from freshly cut rose petals?"

She shook her head, also getting annoyed at his holier-than-thou attitude. He was acting as though living in superfluous luxury gave him an experiential edge or something. _Which it doesn't._

Hanabusa looked at her for a moment before allowing a gentle smile to grace his face. _She is distractingly beautiful._

"All in good time, Koharu. You too will develop a taste for the… finer things in life"

His eyes glinted in the dark as they slowly became more heated. Koharu yanked open the window and kicked him out.


	9. Chapter 9

All she had to do was save Yuki from some kind of threat when Kaname-sama was watching. And this had to be done before the Winter Holidays. Which, by the way, were next week. Koharu sighed, _all this scheming was so tiresome._

She and Hanabusa had already come up with a good plan, but Koharu couldn't calm her nerves down. It would happen tonight. She put a hand on her knee to stop her leg for jittering.

The bell rang, and the usual gang of girls crowded around her desk.

"Why do you always take so long to pack your stuff up?"

…

She glared half-heartedly at Mei.

"Koharu you look really tired. Is it for that test coming up next week? I can help you if you want…"

She looked up at whoever said that. _Of course it was Hikari._

She smiled gently, "No, nothing like that. I'm just a bit stressed about what I'm going to do for the Winter Holidays -" She was cut off before she could finish.

"You could stay with one of us if you don't have plans. We wouldn't mind, right?" Chiyo looked at the rest of the girls, who nodded in agreement.

"It's not that. I probably have to stay with Yuki because this is my first year living with them, but the only thing is that she hasn't mentioned any plans about it yet. And I'm getting a little stressed out about it because I can't be rejected last minute, you know? I'll have nowhere to go..."

Obviously this was all bullshit, but it sounded convincing enough in her mind… She hoped..

She finished packing up her stuff and started walking back to the dorms as Mei said, "Yeah that's really annoying. She probably just forgot though - Airhead Yuki and all that"

"It's not her fault though! I know _I_ would behave like that if I was sleep deprived literally 24/7" Chiyo chimed in.

Koharu nodded, "That's literally the case - the poor girl barely sleeps at all. I would know, as her roommate."

Eventually the girls disbanded for the evening, leaving Koharu alone to drown in her own stress and anxiety in the comfort of her empty dorm.

She did her homework to distract her mind for it, but after she finished, there was still a lot of time left before the plan would be put into action. And since it was still daytime, Hanabusa would be sleeping, so she couldn't talk to him.

Koharu decided to go and see if she could talk to the headmaster about the Winter Holidays. Kaien Cross was a quirky character, and he was a bit annoying to bargain with (primarily because he always ended up fawning over her like she was some kind of pet).

She suspected that he knew about her vampirism, but couldn't really tell. He had a tendency for masking his true intent behind a flamboyant persona.

She knocked the door.

"Come iin!"

The door creaked open gently as Koharu stepped in.

"Aaaahh Koharu-chan!"

She smiled in response, only to be flown back a few feet as Kaien Cross flung himself at her in a tight hug. She frowned a bit in irritation, gently pushing him off of her before rearranging her face into a smile.

"And what can I do for my wonderful sweet daughter today?"

She refrained from pointing out that she wasn't his daughter.

"I wanted to discuss our Winter Holiday plans. Yuki hasn't mentioned anything yet, and a few of my friends are asking me to stay over during the Holidays"

"Who's asking?" he questioned. Koharu swore she saw a glint in his eyes for a split second.

"Tsukiko and Chiyo, sir" she smiled innocently.

"Aaaiiiee! My lovely Koharu-chan has made friends!"

She squirmed uncomfortably at the squeal, though nodding in agreement.

"I don't share many classes with Yuki and Zero, and I fear Zero doesn't like me very much. I would feel more comfortable to spend the Winter Holidays with Tsukiko and Chiyo. Of course, by the Summer Holidays I will become acclimated enough to-"

He laughed at her ramblings, "It's perfectly normal for a teenage girl to want to spend vacation time with her friends, Koharu. You can go"

At this, she sighed in relief and gratitude, playing in every part the ideal 'daughter.'

Kaien Cross gave her a gracious smile, "Oh if only my Yuki and Zero were this social.." he trailed off forlornly.

 _Always so dramatic,_ Koharu rolled her eyes playfully.

"I'm sure they will come out of their shells in good time," she giggled.

Kaien laughed with her, and they shared a few minutes of good natured banter until he shooed her off with a gentle, "there is no way that you have finished your homework by now. I don't want to be held responsible for your academic failings!"

Koharu caught the hint and showed herself out. In wandering in the chill winter wind, she found her mind drifting back to her plans for tonight, and her nerves settled back in.

The fact that the crowd around the Moon Dorm gates had already dispersed indicated that Dusk had already passed, and that Yuki would leave for patrols soon.

At that, she quickened her pace, slowing down only as she approached the forested area near the dorms, so as to keep an eye out for Hanabusa. She would feel more comfortable if she could speak to him before the enacted the plans, but it seemed that her talk with Kaien-sama took longer than expected.

The soft patter of Yuki's footsteps behind her only reinforced this suspicion. _If Hanabusa doesn't get here on time, I will be in big trouble._

"Koharu!" Yuki panted out. For someone who did her patrols daily, she was surprisingly out of breath. Koharu quickly turned around, her demeanor startled.

"Oh Yuki! You started your patrols already?"

"Never mind that. Why are you out here after curfew anyways?"

"I just had to speak with Kaien-sama about our Winter Holiday plans…" a slight pause, "oh man, don't tell me I'm gonna be in trouble for this"

Yuki's voice was hushed, "Don't worry about that now. Let's just get you back to your dorms. You won't be in trouble"

As Yuki rushed to catch up to her, Koharu gently stuck her foot out, tripping Yuki and causing some blood spillage. _That should call Hanabusa._

"Oh no, Yuki! I'm so sorry, are you ok?" Koharu hastily lifted Yuki up by the shoulders, controlling the urge to feed.

"Yes I'm fine don't worry about it. Let's just get you out of here."

Sure enough, a familiar whoosh of air signalled Hanabusa's arrival to the scene. Imperceptibly, to all but Hanabusa, Koharu sighed of relief.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here.." Hanabusa's voice called out to Yuki, who became visibly more nervous.

"Nothing, Aido-senpai. We were just going back to the dorms." Hanabusa allowed his eyes to bleed red at the sight of the blood.

"Yuki it seems like you got yourself hurt," Koharu mentioned concernedly, "you're bleeding."

They had to stall until they heard a rustle of leaves (courtesy of Akatsuki) signaling Kaname's arrival. The whole setup seemed rather juvenile, but it had to be done.

Hanabusa hummed in agreement, suddenly appearing closer to Yuki and holding her palm to examine the wound.

"Would you like me to take care of this for you?"

As Yuki struggled to free her hand, they heard their signal, and Koharu stepped in interference, just as Zero appeared, Bloody Rose in hand.

Koharu let loose a warning growl towards both Hanabusa and Zero, clearly displaying her vampirism for all to see.

"You will not touch Yuki Cross," she stated, loudly enough for Kaname to hear from wherever he was watching.

Koharu adopted a predatory stance, her growling increasing in ferocity until it became markedly inhuman.

Hanabusa played his part as well, looking quite startled.

"You're a vampire?" Zero demanded, now pointing the Bloody Rose towards Koharu.

It was then when Kaname chose to appear. Koharu immediately stiffened, as did Hanabusa.

"Zero Kiryuu, I suggest you put that down - I'm afraid it can be quite threatening." Slowly, as if he was still wary, Zero put down the gun.

"Kaname-sama -" Hanabusa began, but was cut off my a sharp slap in his direction. Koharu bit down hard on her lips, nearly drawing blood, to stop from intervening. The way Kaname treated Hanabusa frustrated her, but she was powerless against him.

"Are the rules not clear enough for you, Hanabusa" Kaname questioned, in a dangerously quiet voice. Before anyone could respond, Kaname turned to Yuki.

"I will escort this fool to the Headmaster's office for you." His eyes turned sharply to Koharu, "You will come as well."

Koharu nodded slowly, as if filled with fear. Things were going according to plan.

* * *

"You have maintained abstinence for this long?"

Koharu nodded, "Yes, however it is not possible for other vampires to do the same. I suppose you could say it boils down to a genetic predisposition." _At this point I'm just making up lies left, right, and center._

"What about the whereabouts of the rest of your clan?"

"Our bloodline has been severely diluted, and we are no longer purebloods. My family's whereabouts are completely unknown to me"

"What are your abilities?"

"I have the ability to freeze matter."

At this, Kaien was slightly aghast, and turned to Kaname in silent appraisal.

Hanabusa spoke up, "She is my soul mate."

"Yes." Kaname's slight flown was almost imperceptible, but Koharu caught it. _The fact that Hanabusa is mated is an inconvenience - it means his loyalty to Kaname may be corrupted._

Koharu spoke again, voice low and tentative, "I was not aware this was a school for vampires before joining, and it was never my intent to cause any harm."

Kaien Cross was quick to support her, "You have not caused any harm. In fact, I had suspected you of vampirism before."

"She has been revealed, but the rest of her clan will not be easily found," Kaname mentioned.

"Kaname, I do not think they _want_ to be found. It would not be appropriate to send out search parties for them either." This came from Kaien, surprisingly, "Was it ever your intent to be discovered Koharu? And will you choose to be reintroduced to society?"

"I meant to live under the radar of other vampires, as my entire clan was in hiding. However, I fear I will have to be reintroduced to society in order to live happily with my mate."

Kaien nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. Kaname seemed to agree as well.

"I will support your recognition. However, this cannot be done during the school term."

"That will not be a problem," Hanabusa chimed in, "My family will be more than happy to take her in during the upcoming Winter Holiday. She can be introduced to the Council then."

"Then that means she will have to cancel her other holiday plans," Kaien said, with a mirthful twinkle in his eye.

"That should not be a problem."

* * *

Koharu walked back to the dorm alone, but she knew that Hanabusa would likely see her soon. Within a day, they had made considerable headway, to the point where she was nearly in the clear!

It seemed as though by the end of the Winter Holidays, she could even be able to transfer to the Night Class. With this thought, her grin became visible, and she twirled around like a giddy schoolgirl (which, at that moment, she was).

Perhaps re-entering society would not be as difficult as she had originally assumed it to be. Of course, the only reason it was this easy was because of the power that the Aido family name held. _I have a feeling that Kaname would not have been as forgiving had I not been Hanabusa's mate._

She found Hanabusa waiting for her outside, in a crouched position near the dorm window.

"Do you even realize how creepy you are?"

He stood up indignantly, his pride almost visibly bruising, "I was waiting like a gentleman."

Koharu rolled her eyes and twirled his way with a smile on her face. She took his hand in hers and dragged her towards the forest.

"The weather is quite warm for Winter, wouldn't you say?"

"I do hope it remains this way during the Holidays."

They slowed to a stop when the trees began to thicken. Without notice, Hanabusa quickly leapt up a tree, extending a hand downwards towards Koharu, who, after raising a midnight black brow, begrudgingly took it.

With little struggle, he lifted her branch by branch, stopping only when they neared the very top. Koharu sat down gently, tucking her skirt underneath herself before placing herself delicately on the branch. It was only when she sighed at the sight of the scene in front of her, the moon shining above the treetops, as well as the glimmering stars amidst the black night, that Hanabusa redirected his attention to the view.

"I truly cannot wait for you to meet my family," he remarked, "you'll like them a lot."

She shot him a wary glance, "are you sure about that? I fear that, given the uptight nature of aristocratic families, I may not fit in."

He chuckled, "Nonsense. My upbringing was nowhere near as strict as you might perceive"

"Oh really?"

"You will obviously learn more of it in about a week or so, but I will warn you that I grew up with 3 sisters, all of whom did not hesitate to dress me up and consistently humiliate me in front of Kain and Ruka."

She chuckled mirthfully, violet eyes glistening in the moonlight "Oh I definitely cannot wait to see those baby pictures."

He rolled his eyes at her playfulness, jokingly punching her arm in response to the teasing. Eventually, they settled from their immature fits of giggling into a comfortable silence, nestling in each other's arms for both company and warmth.

Black and gold strands sat against each other in beautiful contrast, dynamic against the rustling of the wind, yet still against the drift of time. Every frost-laced breath was gentle and pure, a moment in union.

They stayed there till dawn.


	10. Chapter 10

"Have you had a girlfriend before?"

He quickly grew a bright pink, bringing his hand to his face in a meager attempt to cover the blush. Her wide curious eyes stared openly up at him, innocent and unassuming.

"Why do you ask?"

"You just seem like someone who has had a lot of experience with girls"

Still, he could not guess her reason for asking. _Would she dislike him for the answer? Or she prefer someone with experience…_ Cool, wine colored eyes stared back at him, waiting for an answer.

"Have _you_ had a boyfriend before?"

"No"

"You've never been on a date before?" he asked, slightly incredulous. This time, she could not control the slight pink dusting her cheeks.

"No, not really. I don't interact much with the opposite gender, usually."

"Oh"

"You still haven't answered my question"

The blush crept back up again, "It depends on what you mean by 'girlfriend'"

"What?"

She looked on, brows furrowed in confusion. Hanabusa seemed to get redder and redder with each passing second.

"I have never been in a long-term relationship, but I have been on dates with other girls"

"Oh…" Koharu tilted her head slightly, in curiosity, "have you ever kissed a girl before?"

Another lengthy silence, followed by a timid, humiliated nod.

"Oh.."

…

"Is that good or bad?"

She gazed at him for a while, before responding, "It is what it is"

 _It is what it is!? What the hell is that even supposed to mean?!_

"Are you bothered by it?"

"It's nothing too horrible, I guess"

" _We_ haven't kissed" he shot her a slightly heated look, "yet."

Koharu sharply turned her head, looking up from her feet dangling on the window sill. She narrowed her eyes at his heated gaze. When he didn't stop, she gave him a quick shove, forcing him to stumble off of the same sill, onto the bare carpet of her dorm.

"Ouch," he muttered, rubbing his arm gently, "Why are you always this cold"

"Why are you always this stupid, huh?" She stuck her tongue out at him childishly. He glared in response, before settling back to his previous position on the sill next to her.

"You know you are going to have to let go of your human friends soon, right?"

"Why is that?"

"When you transfer to the Night Class after the holidays, they will want to remain close. Human and vampire interactions are strictly prohibited"

"With certain exception cases, of course"

They looked at each other, both aware of the sole exception. _Yuki Cross._

"True. I will have to distance myself from the three girls, but it will be difficult considering the amount of time we spend together, as well as the fact that they are aware of my vampirism."

"Their memories must be erased."

She frowned, "We can't afford to do that without risking the truth getting out. And besides, this is not too dangerous of a situation for me to handle. With time, even they will begin to doubt their memories - the human mind is incredibly fragile"

He didn't seem too satisfied with the answer, but he let it slide.

"Hanabusa, I have another question. Will I be expected to take the blood tablets from now on?"

"Yes, but you are always welcome to have some of my own blood..if you can't satisfy your cravings, that is"

"Shut up," she growled.

Koharu found herself blushing once more. Drinking one another's blood was a rather intimate display of a vampire's affection. While it was a natural instinct for those mated to each other, the fact that they had succumbed to the itch so soon was rather unusual (and quite embarrassing for Koharu, to say the least).

As a tiny yawn erupted from his beloved, Hanabusa stood up, "I should get back to class," he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, bringing her into a quick hug before she could complain, "goodnight Koharu."

"G'night Hanabusa."

And with that, he left, gone as quickly as he came. After staring in thought for a few seconds, Koharu shut the window after him. She inhaled the sweet scent of lavender and chocolate he left behind as she curled up into the bedsheets.

 _Sweet dreams._

* * *

The Winter Holidays began tomorrow, and class was cancelled so that the Day students could pack their bags and enjoy the unusually pleasant winter weather at Cross Academy.

"Why aren't you packing your bags?"

"Oh, I packed them last night, since I finished the homework early."

"You finished the homework for the Holidays already?!"

"Of course. I hate the feeling of procrastination."

"Koharu, do you know what I would give to be in your shoes?"

Koharu rolled her eyes, "Go pack your bags, girls. I have to talk to the Headmaster about a few issues."

"Are you in trouble?" Hikari asked, visibly worried.

"No, of course not. We are arranging for my transfer to the Night Class after the Winter Holidays"

The whole group went wild at this.

"The Night Class?!"

"Why would you transfer there"

"Will you even be able to see us again?"

"Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Does it have to do with the fact that you're a..you know-"

"No. It does not. Honestly, given my *ahem* _nocturnal habits,_ it would just be easier for me to transfer there. And yes, unfortunately, it will mean that I won't be able to see you as often."

Chiyo spoke up, "How will you feed then?"

Koharu looked at the girls, silent for a while, debating whether or not her next words would be appropriate, "I won't feed from now on."

"So you'll starve?!"

She gave them a long, solemn look before nodding. _I think I may be a pathological liar._

Tsukiko looked severely distraught, "Are you insane? Why would you do that to yourself?!"

"My kind is a threat to your entire race. Starvation for me will not be as painful as you imagine it to be. It merely means that I will live an average human lifespan - nothing more." This was, of course, a total lie, but they would believe it.

"Why would you do that to yourself though?" Hikari questioned.

"I am a threat to your race. I don't think it's fair that I extend my life by leeching off of yours."

"You were just drawing blood though, it wouldn't affect our lifespan, would it?"

She gave them another solemn look, before nodding. "It would."

At this, they were all shocked. Koharu supposed they had the right to be, but there was no other way to cut off such friendships that developed so quickly and strongly.

"I doubt this will ease your worries, but I did not take much. I promise."

Mei was the first to speak.

"I can't believe you."

Koharu wiped the unconsciously leaking tears. Even though these were just lies, it still hurt to so cruelly cut people out of her life. _Intentionally, at that._ Betrayal was a strong emotion, but guilt was even stronger.

"I truly am sorry. I hope that one day, you will forgive me."

They stood still, staring at her, almost uncomprehendingly. She could see the hurt in their eyes. _Why am I doing this._

With much determination, she uttered her final farewell. "Goodbye girls. I will miss you all."

She shut the dorm door decisively, but with bittersweet emotion. This was a symbolic end to her past life, she supposed. Being a part of vampiric society meant living away from and not interacting with humanity. _A difficult but necessary pill to swallow._ In an attempt to clear her head, Koharu walked outside, taking a seat on the same fountain ledge upon which she had first conversed with Hanabusa, a few months ago. A lot of things were changing, and at a rate much faster than what she could follow.

* * *

 _What if my lies catch up to me. I'll be hopeless._ Some of the things she'd said had been necessary, such as the lie about her still maintaining abstinence. She would be forced to lie in the future as well, to cover things up - a staged accident of somehow getting "hooked" on the blood pills would be inevitable. There were a great many ways in which she could be caught, and one slip from either her or Hanabusa could mean the end of everything. Koharu sighed, rubbing her temples in anguish and frustration. She really hoped that all of these issues would be safely resolved soon. The glimmer of another pair of eyes, discreetly hidden in the thick of the trees, quickly caught Koharu's attention, alerting her of someone else's presence. _A Night Class vampire is watching me._

"Who's there?" No answer.

In a flash, Koharu was in the foliage, searching for the interloper. She did not have to look far. Within a 6 foot radius of her, in a small clearing, stood Ruka Souen, her dirty blonde locks mussed from the trees

"So you are Koharu Nakamura" Her coffee colored eyes were hard, almost challenging.

"Yes, that's me. And may I ask your name?" Koharu asked, her voice deceptively soft and girlish.

"Ruka Souen. I am Hanabusa's cousin."

Koharu's mouth opened in faux realization, "Ohh.. Nice to meet you, Ruka-senpai!"

At this, Ruka cracked a smile, "You are much indeed like Hanabusa"

Koharu bashfully smiled in response, "Why are you out in the day, Ruka-senpai?"

Despite how standoffish she seemed, Ruka warmed up almost immediately, which was more than a little surprising given her cold reputation.

"Just Ruka will do. And, in case you have not noticed, it is nearly dusk. I woke up early in order to catch you."

"Oh. I assume you have heard things about me, then."

Ruka chuckled, "Hanabusa constantly talks about you"

Koharu immediately turned a beet red, causing Ruka to laugh even more. _She seemed so uptight. Who knew she was this playful._

"You will be staying with the Aido family for the holidays, am I correct?"

"Yes"

Ruka looked amused at Koharu's anxious expression, "Do not be worried about them. They have especially _un-_ aristocratic tendencies."

Koharu laughed nervously, "I must admit I was slightly afraid of not fitting in."

"A girl with a bloodline as powerful as yours should not even have such a worry"

She sighed, "I suppose that is true."

"Did Hanabusa inform you that I will be visiting for one or two days?"

"He told me that you and Akatsuki-senpai would, yes"

"Good. I will get to know you better then"

"Yes, you will"

"I must leave, as the Changeover will start soon. It was very refreshing to meet you though"

"Likewise. I feel slightly more at ease, now that at least someone has approached me other than Hanabusa"

Ruka laughed once more, "Oh yes - that boy can be extremely misleading at times. Do not get me wrong, we are not this open to most. But the fact that you are in Kaname-sama's good graces as well as Hanabusa's mate suggest one thing. In your time at Cross Academy, you have done more good than harm, and we have nothing to fear or doubt"

Before Koharu could even get in a word, Ruka jumped in again, "Sorry, but I really must be off. I will see you soon, Koharu."

And with that, Ruka leapt out of sight, in the direction of the Moon Dormitories, leaving Koharu gaping behind. _Ruka seemed like a nice girl_ , she decided. She was feminine and noble, but not to the point where she lost sight of her responsibilities. However, Ruka's presence once more reminded Koharu of the inevitable, and the same thoughts that had plagued her mind before took the front seat was her last day as a "human," and starting tomorrow, her entire life would change.


	11. Chapter 11

"So this is your house?"

Hanabusa nodded. In front of them stood the decadent gates of a dimly lit, almost palatial mansion nearly as large as Cross Academy itself. The sight of it alone was enough to rouse Koharu back to her sensibilities.

They left Cross Academy at night, after the Day Class students, and it was impossible for Koharu not to rest her eyes, despite all of Hanabusa's efforts to keep her awake. She was no doubt going to experience a sort of "jet-lag," but hopefully she'd get over it in a day or two.

As the chauffeur drove away, the gates to the mansion creaked open, revealing an expanse of well-tended lawn as well as a dainty, platinum-blonde maid with a slight blush on her cheeks.

She bowed, "Welcome, Aidou-sama."

The appearance of the maid alone, whatever her name was (Aoi, she remembered Hanabusa mentioning), reminded Koharu once more of the extravagant lifestyle of aristocrat class. This was a way of life she was completely unused to. Before Koharu could become any more nervous, her clammy hand, as though with a mind of its own, sought Hanabusa's broader, firmer palm. His face betrayed nothing, but his hand gently gripped hers in response, subtly intertwining her fingers with his.

"Hello Aoi, this is Koharu"

At her mention, Aoi bowed towards Koharu, "Welcome, Nakamura-sama. I do hope you enjoy your stay at the manor"

Not knowing the proper response, Koharu settled for tilting her head in acknowledgement, "Nice to meet you Aoi-san, I'm sure I will"

Before any other words were exchanged, Hanabusa led Koharu across the cobbled path, towards the main door of the enormous, Victorian-style mansion. Koharu still felt odd about not having to carry any bags, but she kept her mouth shut. Aoi trailed behind them, respectful of her position. They make a pretty pair.

When Koharu nearly tripped over her feet, Hanabusa could not fight back a smile, "Relax, baby"

At this, Koharu was quick to yank her hand out of his. After giving him a fairly threatening growl, from which his wiry frame recoiled, she crossed her own arms in indignation, huffed, and marched onwards, forcing him to lengthen his strides to catch up.

They crossed exquisite landscaping; deep green foliage, ancient stone sculptures, and at least one fountain, all contributed to the daunting air of nobility and elegance surrounding the manor. They stopped when they reached a mahogany door, intricate with black detailing.

Within a second, the door creaked open, causing Koharu to turn her head warily to Hanabusa.

"After you m'lady," he gestured, following suit as she took her first tentative steps into his home.

She walked in, greeted with a vast emptiness before her. Before she could turn around to question Hanabusa, a deafening "Welcome Home!" resounded the walls.

She was, needless to say, surprised. What was just one second ago an uninhabited, abandoned mansion, filled with expensive and unused decor, became all of a sudden filled with "life" and vibrancy.

Easily identifiable were Kain and Ruka, as well as the hardened (but not unkind) eyes of Nagamichi Aido and the young, excited face of Tsukiko Aido. Unidentifiable were two older blondes, who she suspected were Hanabusa's older sisters. All of them (including Hanabusa) were surprisingly well dressed, with dresses, jewelry, and suits.

"Brother!" Tsukiko gleefully shouted, as her short form ran up to Hanabusa and lovingly embraced his legs. Hanabusa kindly bent down and lifted Tsukiko in his arms, laughing at her girlish squeals of joy. Koharu could not prevent the loving smile that graced her lips. Kids are cute.

One of the older blondes stepped forward, taking Koharu's attention as she shook her hand confidently, "My name is Konomi, and that" she said, pointing at the other, slightly shorter blonde, who waved in response, "is Kanako. I am sure you will know who everyone else is. Nice to meet you, Koharu"

Koharu nodded with a smile as she shook her hand in response, "Likewise, Konomi-san."

Nagamichi Aido gave a hearty laugh, "It's good to finally see you, Koharu. My son has talked you up quite a bit, I'm afraid." Koharu couldn't suppress her blush, and instead settled for a half-hearted glare sent in Hanabusa's direction, which he totally ignored, choosing instead to coddle his youngest sister.

"I hope I won't disappoint, Aidou-sama," she said, dipping her head in respect.

Ruka chuckled before interjecting, "I hardly doubt you will"

Hanabusa came up from behind, placing one arm over her thin shoulders, the other arm still holding Tsukiko, who looked at her with big blue orbs. He gently nuzzled his mate's hair, inhaling the spicy scent of her shampoo. Cinnamon.

"Welcome to the family, Koharu."

* * *

"Thankfully Hanabusa gave me more than a week's notice of your arrival, so I was able to finish all of the paperwork for your recognition"

"How many people can come with her?" Konomi asked.

"It would be ideal if it were only me and Hanabusa"

Nagamichi Aidou had not wasted any time explaining the details of the recognition process. It was due to happen a few moons later, in the smack dab middle of the Winter Holidays.

All of the older vampires sat in the main living room, on lavish, cushion-doused couches and armchairs. Tsukiko sat on the floor, playing with a rag doll that looked uncannily like Kaname-sama. Hanabusa kept her company, though he had his eyes and ears on the conversation above.

"Is there anything I must bring with me then?"

The head of the Aidou family laughed, "Just your presence would be enough, Koharu"

She smiled, nodding her head in acknowledgement.

Just as the conversation began to lull, Aoi stepped in, her eyes pointed downwards, "All preparations have been made, and the guests will be coming soon, master."

Nagamichi clapped in hands briskly "Perfect - we are finished here as well. Konomi, Kanako, will you show Koharu to her room? Aoi will take care of the dress"

"Dress?" Koharu questioned, her head tilting in slight confusion. She hadn't even received a tour of the house yet.

Hanabusa chose this moment to enter the conversation.

"Yes, unless you'd prefer to join the party in your school uniform," he said, playfully tugging the bottom of her skirt before she swatted his hand away.

"What party?"

Ruka smiled from her place a little ways to the right of Koharu, "A welcome party, of course."

Koharu, though still confused at this odd progression, nodded. Konomi, Kanako, and Ruka all got up and walked towards the grand staircase, beckoning for Koharu to follow.

She did, but not before shooting one last hesitant look towards everyone; Nagamichi Aidou had disappeared (god knows where to), and only Hanabusa and Tsukiko remained, both appropriately dressed and playing with the Kaname-doll. Koharu turned around before Hanabusa could say anything stupid or give her another weirdo smile.

They walked up the first flight of stairs, "So this is the guest floor," Konomi stated.

Ruka chimed in, "Kain and I are staying here, as will those who choose to stay after the party"

"There's nothing special here but the rooms - generally father's political colleagues will stay here."

Koharu nodded, as they made their way up the second flight of stairs.

"This floor is for us. That's my room, and the one opposite to that one is Konomi's, so you can call us for help with anything"

Konomi pointed to the other end of the hall they were in, "Your bedroom is there, Tsukiko's is right opposite, and Hanabusa's is the one right next to it"

When she walked into her room, Koharu could not contain her gasp, "It's so huge!"

Kanako giggled, "You'll get used to it in time, Koharu-chan"

Before Koharu could respond, the doorbell of the manor rang, indicating the arrival of the guests.

"Well, that's our cue to leave - Aoi will come and get you ready. In the meantime, feel free to look around!"

"Wait!" Koharu interjected, "Will I have to be introduced or anything? I can't say what my real name is, I have not been recognized yet"

At this, Ruka chuckled, "Koharu, dear, if we were to introduce everyone in these types of parties, it would take at least two nights. Nobody needs to know your name."

And with that, the girls shuffled out, making their way down to welcome the guests.

Koharu sighed, her head hurting slightly. I need some rest. Before she could even think of testing out the bed, though, the timid knock of Aoi on her bedroom door could be heard.

"May I come in, Miss?"

"Yes, please do."

The formality with which she interacted with the maid was odd and forced, so Koharu decided to cease it, "Aoi-san, just Koharu will do"

Aoi nodded, a gentle smile lighting up her face, "Koharu-sama, I am sure you know this, but I am here to help you get ready. Guests are already here, so you will be able to make a subtle entrance catching any attention"

Aoi walked over to another door in the room, one that Koharu hadn't even bothered to notice initially. She opened it, revealing a massive closet.

"This will be your dress for tonight, Koharu-sama. Hanabusa picked it out for you, in fact. I shall go run the bath water"

Koharu nodded once more, suppressing a yawn. It was nearly midnight, and she hadn't slept for the past day with how busy things were. And I have to stay awake for at least the next three to four hours…

Koharu vigorously shook her head to get rid of the temptation of sleep. She allowed the dress to capture all of her attention. It was a truly remarkable piece - a wine purple, mid-thigh length dress with a subtle, maroon and silver embroidered belt. There was no real detailing to the dress other than a discreet pleating; it was simple, elegant. Koharu mentally commended Hanabusa for his taste.

Aoi stepped out of the bathroom, "the bath is ready, Koharu-sama," she bowed, "please do not be nervous. I will take good care of you."

Koharu assumed that this meant that she would be bathed, and while the thought definitely made her squeamish and uncomfortable, now was not the time to question convention. So saying, she wormed out of her school uniform, taking special care to cover her *ahem* lady bits while following Aoi into the bathtub.

Interestingly, it was a lavender scented bath, which meant that while it did remind Koharu a little too much of Hanabusa, the scent and sensation were relaxing. And, given that Aoi was doing most of the work scrubbing, it became quite difficult for Koharu not to fall asleep right then and there.

There was no doubt Aoi did an impressive job.

After being completely dried off and given the opportunity to gaze at herself in the mirror (while Aoi fetched the dress), Koharu could not deny that she looked like a new person. Her newly moisturized skin felt soft to the touch, and the pale white gleamed with a renewed health. Even her nails looked manicured, and Koharu didn't even remember Aoi touching them. Her hair, freshly curled, fell in soft ringlets, framing her face and accentuating her eyes.

Needless to say, the dress elevated her appearance even more. It subtly hugged her curves and (with the help of some silvery heels) lengthened her legs. Above all, however, it made her feel pretty. Like she was one of them.

* * *

She walked down the stairs with special care not to trip over herself, taking advantage of her vantage point to search for Hanabusa's blond head. The main level was surprisingly crowded, filled with numerous vampires dressed in sharp clothing. Koharu fiddled with her silver earrings nervously; Hanabusa was nowhere to be seen.

I can take this opportunity to explore the mansion, she decided as she finally reached the main level. Koharu weaved her way through the crowd, unintentionally catching the eyes of a few, searching for anyone familiar. She was quick to become lost, and settled for wandering around a bit, until she reached a sort of bar. (They have a bar as well?!) Unfortunately, the crowd here was only slightly sparser, but a familiar scruff of golden hair caught her eye, spurring her to take a seat on the bar stool next to it.

When she placed a hand on his shoulder, he turned around, revealing stone-gray eyes.

He flashed a charming smile once he took notice of her face, "And who might this gorgeous creature be?"

This was not Hanabusa.

Nevertheless, she took the open seat next to him, deciding to take a break from her tireless search.

"I am no one," she said after some thought. It was technically the truth.

The Hanabusa-imposter gave a good natured laugh, "Well that was unnecessarily ominous, but I won't ask questions"

Koharu yawned, "May I know who you are then?"

He raised an eyebrow, his mannerisms eerily similar to Hanabusa's, "You sought me out without knowing who I am?"

She looked at him, quick wit dulled from her sleep deprivation, "I was searching for Hanabusa, and you looked like him from back there"

The vampire smiled again, flashing his fangs in what he must have assumed to be an attractive manner.

"Oh, so you're someone to Hanabusa, then"

She yawned again, "Something like that, yeah"

"You're tired this early into the night? Too much partying this week, huh"

She repeated herself, "Something like that."

The reality was that she had been stuck in the limousine for a full four hours with Hanabusa, who had chatted her ear off without giving her a single wink of rest.

"Well you've come to the right place then, sweetheart. Bartender!"

The butler (how much staff did the Aidou family employ?!) turned around, "Can I get a Cuba Libre, please?"

Koharu didn't even know what that was, but it sounded alcoholic.

"Wait-" she tried extending her arm to stop the barman, but it was too late, and she hit the imposter's hand instead.

He gave her a long look as he brought up his own hand to cover her palm. She frowned. I think he got the wrong impression.

"What are you doing" Koharu asked, her demeanor unimpressed. She tried to pull her arm out of his touch, but found that it was caged against the counter.

He smiled at her again, "I'm just buying you a drink, sweetheart."

She frowned, "Please don't call me that."

His eyes glinted, predatory, "Ok, no one."

That was a threat.

Koharu finally woke up, realizing that she had let her guard down at the wrong moment. She may have been able to fight off unwanted advances when surrounded by men, but vampires were different. And she realized her false confidence now; she was weak.

She sat on the bar stool, frozen in fear, unable to speak. What was he going to do.

"You see, I'm a pretty young vampire, but I've been to a lot of these types of parties. And, truth be told, I've never really seen a girl as pretty as you"

She brought her own hand on top of his, trying in vain to push him off.

His grip tightened, "I know I'm a handsome guy. Others throw themselves at my feet all the time, but frankly, it can get a little boring."

He sighed, drawing his eyes towards her once more as he leaned into her face, ignoring her slight lean backwards.

"You're different you know. Your beauty, sweetheart, it's," he took a deep inhale, "it's exquisite. Intoxicating. Would you like to know what makes you beautiful?"

He paused looking at her. Is he waiting for a response?!

Koharu shook her head no, looking around helplessly for someone to intervene.

"No one's gonna notice sweetheart. Remember? You're no one. They don't know you, they won't care."

Slowly, as if calming a feral animal, he lifted his hand, bringing it towards her chest in what he thought was a subtle movement. His other hand still caged hers, and his eyes watched her panicked ones as fresh tears sprung, uncontrollably.

At this, Koharu decided that she had enough. While attracting attention to herself was unideal, there was no other option at this point. Quickly, she brought her free hand up in a sharp, resounding slap. As his head turned with the blow, she brought her elbow down, slamming it as hard as possible on the wrist that caged her other hand. Free.

Before anyone could even find out what the noise was about, she was out of there, on a half-jog away from both that lecher and his dumbass Cuba Libre. Filthy scum.

Only when she slowed down to regain her bearings did she notice the tears streaming down on her face. As if experiencing the touch of something for the first time, she gently prodded her salt-streaked face with her manicured fingers. The makeup was ruined.

All this effort to be "pretty." Koharu didn't want to be at the manor anymore. She wanted to go back, to Cross Academy where she had friends, to the family of Kaien Cross, where she had love and support and comfort. For her first day at Hanabusa's home, this was a bit much; and she hadn't even seen Hanabusa the whole night.

Koharu sighed, stopping herself before more tears could fall. The next best course of action would be to find wherever the nearest bathrooms were - she needed to fix herself up.

"Kanako? Ruka?"

"Koharu! You look stunning!"

"Yeah who knew my brother had good taste?!"

She smiled at them, glad to have finally found some familiar faces. Ruka was the first to notice Koharu's melancholy, however, and she was quick to point it out.

"Your makeup is streaked - is everything ok?"

Koharu took a deep breath, willing herself to hold it together, "No, don't worry, everything's fine. I was searching for Hanabusa, and I ended up having a rather unpleasant encounter with a similar looking vampire."

Oddly enough, it took one shared look between Konomi and Ruka to know exactly who she was talking about. They both put their arms over her shoulder in a sisterly show of comfort.

"No don't worry about him - see he's related to us, but generally we stay away from him."

"Just pretend like he doesn't exist. Let's get you fixed up."

"We were searching for you in the ballroom. Hanabusa was finishing up a meeting with some people that wanted to work with him. He's looking for you right now."

"We'll fix your makeup and you can go straight to Hanabusa, yeah."

Koharu smiled at them, feeling a bit calmer and safer once again. They led her to the washrooms, which were again as splendid as a five star hotel, except with a more gothic design.

* * *

Ruka and Konomi were true to their words, and surely enough, they could see Hanabusa focusedly scanning the crowd for a familiar set of pitch black hair, white skin, and violet eyes.

"Hanabusa!" Konomi called out, attracting his attention. His eyes lit up when they found Koharu, and she couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach at seeing him. When he made his way towards the girls, the normally reserved Koharu surprised them all by running up to him and enveloping him in a warm hug. He hugged her back, twirling her once and placing her gently on the ground before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

He released her with care, almost as if he subconsciously knew that something had happened. Much to the intrigue of the three girls, after taking a step back, Hanabusa had placed his index finger on his lips, as if in scrutiny at her appearance.

"As suspected, I have a great sense of style. You're welcome, Koharu."


	12. Chapter 12

"Hanabusa!" Konomi called out, attracting his attention. His eyes lit up when they found Koharu, and she couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach at seeing him. When he made his way towards the girls, the normally reserved Koharu surprised them all by running up to him and enveloping him in a warm hug. He hugged her back, twirling her once and placing her gently on the ground before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

He released her with care, almost as if he subconsciously knew that something had happened. Much to the intrigue of the three girls, after taking a step back, Hanabusa had placed his index finger on his lips, as if in scrutiny at her appearance.

"As suspected, I have a great sense of style. You're welcome, Koharu."

* * *

A bright and vibrant blush graced her face as she mumbled a barely discernible "idiot" under her breath, before awkwardly shuffling back to Ruka and Konomi.

The chemistry between them was palpable - it crackled and sparked in a distinct way, crisp in its novelty, yet simple and comfortable. And while Hanabusa did flirt all the time, it was obvious to anyone that the interactions between the two weren't quite as vapid.

"Ahahha…" Konomi laughed unnecessarily loudly, scratching her head bashfully, "I have to go find Kanako - that girl always gets herself in trouble, ya know?"

Ruka joined in, "Kain is waiting for me, as well. We'll leave you to your own devices, then?"

Koharu frowned slightly, "Actually, Akatsuki-san hasn't spoken a word to me at all. Perhaps it would do me well to join you?"

But to her dismay, both Ruka and Konomi seemed to have disappeared into thin air, prompting Koharu to groan and vigorously rub her tired eyes in frustration.

"You messed up your makeup" Hanabusa noted.

Koharu growled lowly, "Again?!"

"...Again..?" Hanabusa voiced back.

She glanced back at his inquisitive face, her smudged eye makeup giving her a gaunt image.

"What happened?" He asked, softly taking in her appearance before stepping closer in a show of tentative comfort.

She held his hand softly in response, but shook her head, "I thought I lost you is what. I was all of a sudden stuck with an imposter"

His hand clenched hers a bit tighter at the mention of someone else, and he pulled her into a crushing hug, "You'll never lose me"

She stood still, accepting his embrace for a second or two.

Choosing to lighten the mood, Koharu stepped away from his grasp, placing a hand on her forehead dramatically, "Oh really? What a shame, you know I was really looking forward to leaving you for …" she gave him a shrewd look, "Zero Kiryuu"

His eyes widened in outrage.

"That jerk?!" He asked in offense, drawing his eyebrows together.

Hanabusa scoffed at Koharu's cheshire cat grin, and she gave him a condescending smile.

"Aww, is the Ice Prince jealous?"

"Ha! As if. Zero Kiryuu is nothing to be jealous of"

"You think so? Hmm, well I -"

Hanabusa's eyes lifted off of her form, landing onto someone behind hers, as his eyes bled red.

"Angelo."

"Hanabusa. And who's this pretty girl?" A heavy hand fell on her shoulder, and the voice she recognized gave Koharu chills.

Hanabusa growled threateningly when he wouldn't allow Koharu to escape his grasp ("just because you're all legs doesn't mean you can run, sweetheart").

Koharu was worried about causing a scene and attracting attention, but she was no longer worried for her safety - Hanabusa was right there.

She said lowly, "let me go, and you will know my name"

She was immediately released, and within a second flew to Hanabusa's side, where she clutched his arm with a deathly grip and halfway hid herself from the grey eyes of the imposter.

"Now tell me, Hanabusa.. Or should I ask your father for an answer? He never really approved of your party whores."

 _Whores?_ Koharu's grip slackened, and Hanabusa's jaw visibly tensed.

"Why do you want my name?"

Hanabusa grit his teeth when Angelo sent a scathing smile in her way, "So that I could _book_ you, sweetheart."

Koharu let go of Hanabusa's arm and took a step forward, "I don't know who you are, but you have the wrong idea."

He chuckled, "Enlighten me, sweetheart."

She gave him a disdainful glare, "I would, _sweetheart,_ but it really is none of your business."

So saying, she grabbed Hanabusa's arm and dragged him away from the conflict. Hanabusa followed without much question.

"I've had enough of him for one night, Hanabusa"

"I can second that."

"Who is he?"

"Angelo Aldo, a cousin from Spain. He flirts all the time, but not in an...appropriate way. As you probably already figured."

"Yes."

"No matter. Just stay away from him."

"Why would I do anything but?"

"You know why"

 _For information._

"No, I really wouldn't. He is dangerous."

Hanabusa looked at her sharply, "What has he done?"

"Nothing I feel comfortable saying out loud."

Hanabusa dropped it, settling instead for gently placing an arm around her shoulders in a show of comfort. They had walked to the main hall, where the crowd was densest, and were currently standing directly under a massive chandelier (one that Koharu had somehow failed to notice initially). To Hanabusa's surprise, Koharu continued the conversation.

"Why is he Aldo, and you Aido?"

"They are a family of crime and corruption. Father changed his name centuries ago"

"So technically you would have been Hanabusa _Aldo?!"_ The name sounded awkward and clumsy.

He glared sourly at her, and she shot him a wonky smile.

"Embarrassed?"

For the first time, Hanabusa Aido went red to the face. Well... slightly. If one looked hard enough they'd see only a hint of pink against his white pallor. _But still._

"Why did he say 'party whores'?"

It was an honest question, but now Hanabusa couldn't bring himself to look her in the face, let alone answer her. The arm around her shoulders stiffened.

"So you bring dates to these parties?" Koharu had assumed that Angelo had grossly exaggerated his bold assertion.

 _Oh, she was_ _so_ _innocent._ The guilt was crushing.

With as much conviction as he could muster, he shook his head no. It was no secret that he had dated many girls in the past, and while his flirting and his games had been entirely innocent, they had not entirely been well-intentioned. And to Hanabusa, this was very, very shameful.

Especially in front of a girl so trusting and...unsullied.

Koharu turned around so as to face him, her wine colored hues assessing his own turquoise ones for a second or two. By no means had she expected Hanabusa to be as virginal as she; it was completely unreasonable to hope that were the case. But despite the little peek of hurt and insecurity that the thought induced, Koharu realized that it didn't really matter - not when they had each other. Smiling, she hooked one arm around his neck, bringing his ear to her face as she playfully whispered, her voice feathery and teasing, "Relax, baby."

And then she let loose a massive yawn, her almost cat-like fangs peeking through in a not entirely unappealing way. As Koharu dissolved into laughter, it took an immense amount of restraint for Hanabusa to not kiss her right then and there.

Selflessness and trust were rare to find, and this was especially the case in a life filled with the materialism and social dalliances characteristic of the aristocratic class. That's why Hanabusa laughed with her. Because she was happy and sleepy and pure, because she had completely forgotten about her smudged makeup.

Because she was gorgeous inside and out.


End file.
